Two Halves
by SomniumArtifex
Summary: Paul is losing control and when Gabriella shows up she seems the perfect outlet for his rage. Will Sam regret letting Gabriella stay or is she the key to answers that they all desperately want? Rated M for language, violence and sexual content.
1. Update Announcement

_**This story is currently in the process of being re-written. If you'd like to read the updated version of this story then go to my stories and it's under the title 'Rage'. (I'm sorry, I don't know how to get hyperlinks to work on this site)  
**_

_**This story will remain open for those that want to know what happens without waiting for the update to be completed, but I'd recommend reading the new one because there will not be as many mistakes and inconsistancies.**_


	2. Welcome to La Push

Nobody has a perfect life. Nobody is ever really normal. If you think that you do, or that you are, then you better prepare yourself for the worse.

I had a normal life. I was a happy, healthy ten year old, part of your typical everyday family; a loving mother and father, an annoying brat for a younger sister. I went to school from Monday to Friday and played football on the street with my cousins and some of the neighbourhood boys afterwards. At that age I was just one of the boys, and considering that I didn't have breasts then, it was easy to pretend that it was actually the case.

Well, maybe my life wasn't that normal. Seeing how my father had the very impressive talent of turning into a dingo. But that wasn't where normality ended for me.

Three months after my tenth birthday I got home from school earlier than usual, as a friend's mother had offered me a lift because it was raining. I walked from my friend's car to the front door, much to the disdain of my friend's mother, who yelled 'run' repeatedly from the front seat until I got under the cover of the veranda roof. My parents didn't hear me enter over the sound of the rain on the tin roof but I could hear them. They were engaged in a screaming match in the kitchen.

That was the day that I found out that my dad wasn't my biological father, although I didn't let my parents know that I knew. For some reason I thought they would be ashamed of me if they knew that I had heard them.

At ten years, ten months and thirteen days of age I got an even bigger shock.

It was a Sunday morning at the very beginning of school holidays and I was walking my eleven month old Central Asian Shepherd through the bush that surrounded my town. Out of nowhere a shiver rippled up my spine and my back started to ache. Everywhere started to tingle in a way that was uncomfortable but didn't really hurt. A few minutes later I was no longer the stocky little ten year old that played footy of an afternoon, but rather a weedy looking wolf, larger than my dog, larger than any wolf was meant to be.

I can remember that shock like it had happened just yesterday. It was like my whole world had been turned upside down and there was nothing I could do to flip it back around the right way. The sky was below me and the ground above me, not surprising as I had fallen over during the morph and was lying on my back when my senses came to. But even once I'd gotten on my feet there was something wrong, something awkward about everything. It had taken months for me to get used to this other side of my life, even with the help of my pack.

At the age of sixteen I finished school, because by law I was allowed to leave. And after some issues revolving around my pack had come to light I had no interest in living as part of a pack anymore. So, I morphed into my, then still growing, wolf-self and started wandering. By eighteen I'd travelled all around Australia and decided to explore the rest of the world.

I travelled up through New Guinea, after a major detour to stunning New Zealand, and then headed west across southern Asia. Into Africa, where I headed south to the central countries and then back north along the western coast into Europe. I left Europe through Russia and followed it across to the eastern extremities of Asia in order to cross over to Alaska. From Alaska I headed to the eastern coast of Canada, another beautiful country, and then journeyed south. I made it to Cape Froward in Chile, before turning around and heading back north, making sure to choose a different path, where possible.

Once I made it back through Mexico I headed along the west coast of the USA, and after almost seven years of travelling ended up here, in La Push, Washington; with an insular pack of shifters.

They were so isolated from the rest of the shifter world that some had almost died when I morphed in front of them, I soon learned they called it phasing. It was a momentous occasion for them and they had begged me to stay. I'd tried to turn them down, tried to tell them that I didn't play well with others. But they were insistent, and I was never stubborn enough to win a verbal argument.

So, now I'm here, waiting just inside the tree line of the forest that encircled the reservation township. I had travelled most of the way to the town as a wolf and then changed to human form just a few hundred metres from the forests edge. Emily, who ever she was, had provided me with a simple t-shirt and a baggy pair of jeans. A handful of bras had accompanied them and despite the fact that the other clothes were too big, one of the bras had fit alright. It was awkward wearing a bra after so long in wolf form, almost as awkward as walking on two legs.

I tripped as I made it to the first house and fell stupidly onto my hands and knees. Growling to myself, I pushed myself to my feet and brushed off the jeans. In my fall and my subsequent cleaning, my pants had started to fall down so I grabbed the waist band and pulled them up.

"Welcome... Gabriella, isn't it?" came a meek voice from in front of me.

A short young man stood before me, with limp black hair and round childish features. I got the feeling that he wasn't too impressed about being the one to greet me, that he was a little afraid of me.

"Hello."

He seemed to relax when he heard me speak and a smile spread cheekily across his face, "My name is Colin. Sam has been expecting you, he's right this way."

I followed the young and jittery Colin around the house and towards the front door. There were three steps to the front porch and I was embarrassed by my need to use the handrail to help pull me up, my legs were so unused to being used alone. I made it to the porch, and was childishly proud of being able to get up the steps without falling flat on my face. I hated being in human form.

The front door of the house swung open and I fought the urge to change and lunge at the young lady that burst through the door. She was quickly replaced by Sam, who threw himself between the young woman and myself, his eyes narrow with concern.

He turned to face the pretty lady, "Emily, really? You need to stop doing things like that."

"She's just a young girl, and by the looks of it in need of a good feed. Come on, let me prepare you something to eat." she said cheerfully over Sam's shoulder. It was then that I saw them, the three scars on the right side of her face. I didn't need to ask what had caused them as I had seen similar ones on the neck of my mother. I did wonder who had caused them, but figured it probably wasn't the best first question to ask.

"She's a wolf, Emily. I don't..." he seemed too pained to finish his statement and I knew enough to read between the lines.

"Don't worry, I wouldn't have hurt her." I said and my voice sounded raspy. Emily smiled, "I would have killed her." I finished solemnly and Emily's smile dropped.

Colin tensed beside me and Sam shuddered with a swell of anger. His breathing became shallow and ragged as he tried to remain in control. As quickly as the shudders had started they stopped, but Sam didn't turn to me. He took Emily's face in his hands and directed her to look at him, "She's not used to people so she can't be trusted yet. She's like a wild dog." Colin tensed more and stepped away from me, even Sam's shoulders seemed to tighten as he said it. I didn't react, I was not offended.

"Woof." I barked as I turned around to walk back down the steps, I could hear Sam chuckle as I did.

"I must say, I'm surprised." Sam said as he followed me, from the sound of it Emily and Colin were coming too. "I didn't think you'd have such a decent sense of humour."

"You should have seen her last night." came a familiar voice from my right. I looked over to see Jared and another younger boy walking over to join the group, "She was playing in the stream like a two month old puppy." I growled at that, annoyed that he was laughing at me, "I'm sorry, did you not want me to mention that." Jared seemed sincerely confronted by my reaction and it calmed me.

"Maybe we should head inside. It's warmer there." Emily piped up and I gulped down my sudden fear of being confined.

"I don't think so." Sam whispered back to her, "Gabriella isn't used to being inside and she doesn't, or at least she shouldn't, trust us enough to let us trap her inside."

"Oh." was all Emily replied with as I stopped in the centre of the clearing and turned back to them, "It mustn't be easy." Emily continued, "To not be able to trust others."

"I am able to trust, but I am not foolish. I will not trust those who cannot prove they can be trusted."

"But sometimes you need to take a chance. A leap of faith, that another can be trusted." Emily pressed.

"I do not need faith. I do not need company. You may not understand this but I have lived this way for years and I am okay with the idea of living like this for decades to come." I could feel the annoyance rising, and I tried to push it down.

"Years?" Emily seemed stunned.

"Emily, please, head back to the house. The others will be here soon and Paul will likely need help to cool down." Sam smiled at Emily and her eyes softened into an expression of pure devotion. Emily stood on tip toes to peck Sam's lips before she turned and almost skipped back to the house. It made me sick to think anyone could be so dumbfounded by love.

"She's right. How could you have lived like this for years? You're what? Eighteen?" Jared stared at me with curious confusion.

"Twenty-two."

There was silence amongst the four men, total disbelief was scribbled across their faces. It was as if they could not possibly grasp the fact that I was not a teenager, which from past experiences seemed to be common place. As they stood there silent, more men arrived; most were young like Colin but one was at least the same age as Jared.

Paul. He looked as angry now as he had the day before and just his mere presence tempted me to turn and pick up where our fight had stopped yesterday, after Sam's rude interruption. He pushed his way to the front of the group to stand between Sam and Jared, both of whom reach out an arm to block his path.

"That's enough, Paul." Sam warned as the other men grouped behind them.

"Why is she even here?" Paul protested.

"You know why." Sam growled.

"Clearly, I don't. If she's sticking around for Leah then why the hell does she need to come here? Send her to Jacob and the blood suckers." Paul tried to step forward and Sam and Jared tensed to hold him back.

"Paul!" Sam barked, "Go back to the house. And steer clear of Emily until you can remain civilised." Paul hesitated, "Now!"

Paul turned slowly and made his way back towards the house; the group behind him parted to let him through and then merged back together as he passed by.

"He has a point." I said simply as I watched Paul walk away, he kept looking over his shoulder at me, his glare stabbing at me.

"We cannot trust you around Leah." Jared said as he checked Paul's progression over his shoulder.

"You're protecting her? From me?" I was confused. Leah was a shape-shifter, surely she could hold her own in a fight, and it wasn't like she was entirely helpless.

"You are larger than her, and we saw how you held your own against Paul. Leah is smaller than you, as is most of her pack. We can't risk it." Sam explained but it didn't make sense to me. If Leah kept with her pack then surely I wouldn't be a threat to her.

"She has a pack though. I haven't a chance against the four of them."

"Five. There are five in their pack." Jared corrected.

"My statement still stands."

"There may be some things that Leah doesn't want to talk about in front of the others. You know, she may want some 'girl time'." Sam gave me a weak smile and I was tempted to laugh at the thought of me having 'girl time' with anyone.

"Well, I'm not the right person for that. I have spent more than three of the last four years in wolf form, in fact this is the longest I've been in human form for almost five years."

"Why?" Colin asked and then shied back, seemingly fearful of my response.

"I have had no reason to." I stared at Colin, and he back away further, "People leave me alone when I'm a wolf. I like being alone."

"Sorry." Colin whimpered.

"Will you be staying?" Sam asked.

"I still don't entirely understand what is expected of me. What can I do to help Leah?"

"Maybe you've been a wolf too long to remember what it was like being human?" a young girl with a shy smile said as she walked around the group to Jared's side. Jared's eyes flashed wide when he saw her and he quickly made to push her to the back of the group, being sure to keep himself between her and I.

I had never been in this sort of situation before. Where men were so intent on keeping me from the women they surrounded themselves with. Then again I'd never spent so much time with another pack of wolves, they'd never let it last this long before. Within minutes of noticing my arrival they would mount a full scale hunt, they'd chase me until I left their territory and sometimes they wouldn't stop there.

Once in northern Mexico I had been chased by five males, the largest of whom was smaller than me, until I was well outside their territory. They continued to chase me even after we'd exited their borders, until I could not run from them anymore. They were as worn out as I was and my size was just enough for me to fight them off. Even so they had left me with permanent reminders that I was not welcome and my presence would not be endured, even outside their borders.

This situation was a real rarity for wolves. For them to even begin to tolerate me was remarkable in its self.

"Kim, don't. Go to Emily's. Stay away from here." Jared pleaded.

"I just wanted to remind her what it's like to talk to someone. To share secrets and feel safe, just because you're friends." Kim fought against Jared as he continued to push her away.

"Please, Kim. I beg of you, not now."

"Don't be so mean, Jared. She is still human, don't treat her like the enemy."

"Okay, okay. Just go find Emily." Jared begged. Kim kissed him softly on the cheek and ran away towards the house that Emily and Paul had already retreated to.

"Why do you push them away?" I asked. Jared came back to the front of the group and glanced nervously at Sam, who returned the look with equal anxiety, "I only ask because others would turn me away. Keep me at a distance if they let me stay at all."

"We need your help." Sam said simply, "But, just as you don't trust us, we do not trust you. You're volatile; maybe even more so than Paul has ever been. I see it in you, we all do. The anger that drives your nomadic lifestyle. I don't know what caused it but I am not going to risk the safety of my people. We see your scars and we can only imagine the horror that caused them but we would like to help you regardless. You help Leah to figure out why she is one of us and we will help you heal, at least a little bit."

I stared at Sam, the anger and annoyance had been building in my veins since the moment he mentioned my 'anger'. I hated that he assumed he could help me, when no one else could. I hated how they were treating me, like I was a reasonable risk.

"You're wrong." I growled, "You can't begin to imagine."

Sam sighed, "I'm sorry, you're probably right about that. But we need to talk about the... sleeping arrangements."

"What about them?" I didn't like the way this looked to be going.

As it was I was sleeping in a small clearing just south of here, there was a gentle little stream that weaved through the centre of the clearing; that was where Jared had caught me playing the evening before. I liked the clearing and the stream, it was cosy there and I liked listening to the water moving as I drifted into unconsciousness.

"Well, it isn't safe for you to be sleeping unguarded in the forest. What if one of the town's people accidentally stumbles across you sleeping there? We can't risk it." Sam said cautiously, staring me in the face.

"What are you suggesting?" I growled.

"You sleep in the town, with a guard around you at all times. There is a room ready for you in mine and Emily's house." Sam sounded confident but I could tell from his face that he was very unsure of how I would react.


	3. Guard Dog

I was curled into a tight little ball on the over sized dog bed, watching one of the pack members sleep on the bed that I was supposed to be using. He was fast asleep with the blankets pulled up over his shoulders; last night had been exceptionally cold. He and a few of the other pack members would use that bed when they had a night watch, as I much preferred to sleep in wolf form on the floor, hence the dog bed.

They may not be use to other shifters but they still had a wolf side and that part of them was rather untrusting of me. It had been decided that I would stay to give answers to one of the members of another pack, who used to be part of this pack but had split from them because of a family of vampires, but still lived within a soft howls distance of the pack. It was too confusing for me to really care anymore than that.

Today I was due to have my first, hopefully informative, meeting with the pack member in question. I had met her on my first day here and in an ill advised instinctive act I had accidently broken her arm. Since then I hadn't seen her and it made me wonder if she would forgive me for it. As I thought about it, I realised that I honestly didn't care if she did. In fact it would be easier for me because then I could be on my way. Maybe by tonight.

"Hey, you're awake." I turned to the man in the bed and watched him throw his legs over the edge and stretch. He yawned and his jaw gaped painfully wide, "How long have you been awake? Why am I asking you like this, it's not like you can reply in that form? I'll give you a few minutes to get changed." He jumped out of the bed and left the room.

I scrambled to my feet and _phased_ on my way to the chest of drawers that one of the pack member's fiancés' had stocked with hand-me-down clothes. Jeans and t-shirts that was all I really needed, outside of underwear that was. And the hand-me-downs made that a simple wish to fulfil. Once I was dressed I opened the bedroom door and found my watcher leaning against the wall opposite me.

"About time. Can't you smell that? Its torture having to smell that and wait for you." he laughed as he headed down the hall to the kitchen. I followed, knowing that I wasn't supposed to be alone when I was in or near the township. As I said, they didn't really trust me.

"Good morning." the pack Alpha, Sam, said cheerfully. His mate, Emily, the one who'd stocked the chest of drawers, waved at us from the stove top. Three others sat at the table, they'd been introduced as Paul, Collin and Brady. Although I wasn't entirely sure which two the last ones were. I knew Paul because he really didn't like me. He fought for me not to be allowed to stay, which I was hoping he would succeed at but clearly he'd failed.

After the incident in which I had broken Leah's arm, Sam had attacked me; he'd later been so angered by a comment I'd made that he had to walk away before the plan for me to stay was arranged. Paul on the other hand took my attack on Leah as an invitation to start a fight with me, at which point he broke a bone in my tail, and he had been chomping at the bit ever since to have another go at me. I was happy to let him have a go, I was well known in my pack as one of the better fighters.

My tracking ability was mediocre at best, my eyesight was actually quite poor and my hearing was incredibly selective. I wasn't fast or swift, although I was never allowed to lead anything because I was a pain in the arse to try and follow. I couldn't hunt someone down; I couldn't outrun them or out manoeuvre them. But put me face to face with someone, put us on even ground and I can, and will, tear them apart.

I really wanted them to give me a shot at Paul, because I would give him a fight that he wouldn't soon forget.

One of the shifters, either Collin or Brady, I wasn't sure which, pulled out the chair beside him and gestured for me to sit; my watcher having already taken up the seat next to Sam. I gingerly accepted the offer but refused to sit close to the table. Instead I sat with the chair far enough out from the table edge that should I need to I could get up without knocking it or having to push the chair back.

"Alright, breakfast's up." Emily cheered as she placed a large tray of pancakes on the table.

Plates were set in front of everyone and within moments mine was the only one not full of the steaming flat circles. I watched the others as they dug into their breakfast without thinking about anything but the food. They added berries, sugar, syrups, lemon juice, cream or a combination of them to their plates while fighting and jostling for the first use of each condiment.

"Aren't you going to eat anything?" Emily sounded ever so slightly offended but looked hopeful for the response.

"Umm... I'm not hungry." I muttered, trying not to sound too snarky or rude.

"Well, is there anything else you would like? Some fruit? Toast? Eggs? I have some meat left over from dinner last night, if you'd prefer?"

"No, thanks." I made sure to shake my head definitively enough that she might stop prying.

"When was the last time you ate? You've been here four days and you haven't eaten anything." Sam asked between mouthfuls of pancakes, berries and cream.

"Wolf metabolism. You'd be amazed how long you can go without eating." I was hungry but I knew I could last at least another four days before I would become consumed with the need for food, and I was very willing to wait that long before giving in to these people.

No one seemed to bother with me anymore. The men were too consumed with stuffing their faces and Emily turned back to the kitchen to start cleaning up. I stared out the window at the township that was slowly shuffling into life. Mostly I watched a couple of young girls playing hopscotch and wondering what they saw in it. I had never understood the appeal of it myself, preferring a good game of Aussie Rules Football to some silly grid based, stone throwing game.

"Who has the next shift?" Jared, my current watcher, asked before shoving the last fork full of pancakes and cream into his mouth.

The young man, he couldn't have been much more than eighteen, sitting beside me raised his hand silently as he used his last pancake to mop up the berry juice and syrup from his plate. It actually made me feel a little sick; the amount of sugar and carbohydrates that they were eating.

Don't get me wrong, I don't sit around counting carbs and planning my meals. I couldn't care less about the density of sweetening compounds in the food they were eating, it was just the actually simply the sweetness part of it. When I'd lived with my pack, and spent most of my time as a human, I had a major sweet tooth; but after a few years living as a wolf and eating just about anything I could find, my taste buds had changed. I still ate fruits and berries but I preferred a juicy piece of meat to a plate full of pancakes any day.

"Well then, Collin," Jared turned to the other young shifter, "I need a hand with something once we're done here." Jared went on explaining some furniture rearranging he had planned and that he needed assistance for. I was still watching the girls playing hopscotch.

"So, you know the rules, Brady?" Paul grumbled as he pushed his plate an inch in front of him, as if signalling he was finished.

"Umm... I think so. I have to maintain a watchful eye over Gabby," I shot him a dirty look, and he quickly corrected himself, "Gabriella. Wherever one of us goes the other must go as well. I'm not to encourage inappropriate conversations or..." he gulped, "behaviour. And I cannot make deals or bargains with her, about anything."

"And if she should run away?" Sam questioned as he helped to clear the table of dirty dishes.

"Then I follow and try to stop her. The moment she starts to run I am to inform the pack, no ifs, ands or buts." Brady smiled at me but it evoked a scowl from me in response and he's smile dropped quickly as he looked away.

"I'll be close by at all times. If she does anything you can just give me a yell." Paul snarled as he pushed his chair in and headed out of the kitchen.

I watched him leave with a grimace, he was highly irritating and the mere sound of his voice had me tempted to slap him silly. I took solace from the knowledge that one day he would snap, most likely in front of me, and I would have an excuse to go for his neck. Without meaning to I licked my lips at the thought, I was itching for a good fight as it had been months since my last _fair_ scuffle.

"Alright, Brady." Sam grunted as he sat back down, "You can take Gabriella outside, I don't want either of you back in here before midday. In fact, I'll call when I want you back, until then get out." he said it with a small, playful smile but all I could hear was bitter annoyance.

Brady clambered, rather awkwardly, to his feet and headed to the hall. I followed with solemn resolve, making sure to push in my chair and Brady's, which he'd left pushed haphazardly away from the table. With an almost nonexistent smile, aimed at Emily, I followed Brady out of the little house.

_**Brady's POV**_

I could smell her as she caught up to me, that dry leafy scent that had a hint of sweetness to it. Kind of like the forest after the rain but slightly more exotic and unfamiliar. I had been the first to smell it on the day we met her, well the first of Sam's pack, and I had found it so alluring. It had scared me half to death when I realised that the scent I'd found so fascinating was that of a wolf and I nearly collapsed when she phased right in front of us, seemingly undeterred by the idea of being completely naked in front of myself and Collin.

She had a provocative body; tall and svelte, with a generous layer of muscle under her pale skin. Neither Collin nor I had known what to do when faced with such blatant nudity and all we could manage was to stare at her. To take in the way her torso tapered from her chest to her waist and how her hips rolled as she stepped back from us. She had nicely sized breasts, and they were framed by her long hair. Her hair was a moderate brown, and as the wind had rustled it and the sun had glanced off it I saw a dozen shades of gold dance along its silky length.

Oh, how I wanted to touch her hair.

Now, she lagged behind me. I was walking upwind and so the breeze wafted her delicious scent towards me. Just the smell of her was enough to get my blood pumping and I was almost certain she could hear my racing heart beat. I wanted so bad to turn around and touch her, to feel her soft, warm flesh and hopefully feel her react in kind.

I stopped short and dropped to the ground, sitting awkwardly so that she couldn't see what my thoughts were doing to me. She wasn't the type that I usually went for; I liked small, petite women and Gabriella was neither of those things. Still I lusted after her, confused by my own desires and hoping that I had a chance.

Gabriella lay down on the ground, a few feet from me and just outside of my reach. I couldn't help but wonder how she'd respond if I made a move on her. If maybe she'd accept my advance and embrace me or, more likely, she'd scorn me, I didn't want to think of how she would go about that. Would she snap at me, slap me – I couldn't see her slapping anyone really, she looked more the type to punch – or maybe she'd phase and really attack me. After witnessing her fight with Paul I did not want that to happen.

The thought of Paul had me feeling a bizarre combination of things. I felt bad for him and I felt pissed at him. Bad because of the issues he was having with Rachel, and by issues I meant that Rachel was leaving him. Pissed because the issues he was having were making him angry, again, and it was starting to stress everyone out. He got particularly angry when he was around Gabriella, who already didn't really like us as it was, and that made everyone nervous.

We knew very little about Gabriella except what we'd learnt from the fifty words she'd said to us. She was Australian, we got that from the sexy accent, and she didn't like being called Gabby; Sam had received what had to be the scariest death glare ever when he had first called her Gabby, which he did by accident as it was what we called her when she wasn't around. We'd also realised that she liked to be outside, so much so that leaving out sleep and her watcher being fed, she never wanted to be inside.

I took a deep breath and mustered up the courage to say something, she was difficult to read and I felt nervous even thinking about talking to her, "Where are you from?"

She had been lying on her stomach when I'd opened my mouth and now she turned her head to look at me. Her dark eyebrows furrowed over her copper eyes, which were shaded with annoyance, "Are you deaf?"

"No." I couldn't help but feel offended by her bluntness, "I meant where in Australia are you from?"

Her annoyance softened but was soon replaced with boredom. She lifted her head off her folded arms and turned her scarred face away from me.

I wondered where she got those scars from, everyone in the pack did, even Paul. They were smaller than Emily's but they were still easily noticeable. Gabriella's scars were short and thin, but there were lots of them, focused mainly around her eyes and mouth. I imagined that her face would look softer if it weren't for the scars, then again she would probably be all round softer if it weren't for those scars. Someone had gone all out to cut her up. Emily had three scars, three scars from one outburst; Gabriella had dozens, probably hundreds, of small straight scars that littered her pale face like ivory cracks. It must have taken hours to do.

They were so thin and faint that they disappeared as she moved and her eye-catching face was replaced by her bronze-tinted hair. It moved and slid around as her chest expanded and contracted with her breaths. I was hypnotised by the movement of her torso, the sound of her heart beat and the memory of her body. I scanned down her back to her hips, where my eyes travelled around to her left side.

When Collin and I had seen her, all of her, we had noticed the numerous, move visible scars that were scattered around her body. There was one in particular, located towards the front of her left hip that had caught my attention. It appeared to be the largest of the scars, of the ones we had seen anyway, and was almost perfectly round. I got the urge to reach out a touch it, feel its glossy smoothness. I'd had the urge when I saw her naked and I had that same urge now.

My daydream, about touching that large scar, was interrupted by a strange movement of her torso and a noise that barely registered in my ears.

"What?" I mumbled in a low, wistful tone and then immediately kicked myself for sounding so stupid in front of her.

"New South Wales. It's where, in Australia, I'm from."

I could barely believe that she was talking to me. That she was telling me something about herself. A small part of me felt kind of smug, she was telling me about her life, me. Not Jared, who everyone thought would be the one she'd open up to, or Sam because he was Alpha. But me. Simple, low down in the chain of command, me. I smiled to myself.

"Arrogance is not attractive." she said simply as she heaved herself off the ground, without looking at me, and started to walk towards the forest.

I scrambled to my feet to follow her, hoping that I was going to get some more information about her. Another small part of me hoped that my daydreams were about to come true.


	4. Knowledge and Speculation

_**Gabriella's POV**_

I had made a very big mistake.

Telling Brady that I was from New South Wales was a horrible mistake. He seemed to take it as an invitation for more questions, and it took more than half an hour of stubborn disregard and silence for him to get the hint and stop talking. I also gathered, from his irrationally fast heart beat and loud breathing, that he was under the impression that my heading to the forest meant a little more than it actually did. So I'd headed back toward the town and lay down on the grass close to Sam and Emily's house.

At around midday Sam had come strutting out of the back door of his house. He noticed Brady and myself lounging a few yards away and smiled at us. Sam had decided that then was a good time to head down to the beach and wait for the 'guests' to arrive.

So now I was waiting, thankfully alone, on the beach with my toes buried in the sand. I liked the beach, I'd grown up near the beach and used to spend my summer holidays playing cricket with my cousin, Randall, and the neighbourhood boys. My memory flicked back to the time I got into a fight with Randall and ended up being hit by a ball I should have been trying to catch.

Unconsciously I reached up to feel the side of my head, where the ball had hit and a subtle smile flashed across my lips. It didn't last long as I came crashing back to reality and the realisation that that time was so long gone remembering it was wasting mental storage space. Despite that belief, I doubted I would ever forget it. I'd probably die with it playing through my mind.

"Gabriella?" Paul called out in a short sharp snap.

I whipped around to see Paul and Leah walking down to me. I didn't move, figuring if they were as desperate for answers as they claimed then they could meet me where I was at. Leah was putting on a brave front but I could see in her eyes that she remembered quite clearly what had happened last time I'd seen her. Still, she came all the way down the beach and sat beside me. Paul stood behind us, as if keeping watch.

"So, how have you been?" Leah asked with nervous strain clear in her voice.

"As good as can be expected, given the circumstances." I muttered as I looked back out over the ocean at the horizon.

"Well, give it time. They'll grow on you." I could hear the smile in Leah's voice this time but there was still an element of apprehension.

"I doubt I'll be here that long. What is it that you wanted to know?"

"Well, umm..." Leah seemed stunned by my sudden want to get onto topic. I knew that it wasn't what she was expecting but it'd been almost seven years since I'd had a proper conversation with anyone and I wasn't happy that that streak was being broken so soon. "I was kind of hoping that we could just talk in general. At least for a little while. But if you don't want to then," she added at my sideways glare before pausing again, "what do you know of the genetics of shape-shifting? Do you know why I am a shifter when it's normally a male thing?"

I sighed, "It's simple genetics; hasn't anyone been able to figure it out for you yet?" I heard Paul growl at that and it made me happy. I was still itching to sink my teeth into someone who really deserved it, "Whatever. Shifting uses a shit load of genes, located on the 23rd pair of chromosomes and a handful of others, including the X chromosome. You need all of these in order to carry the shifting trait. The gene that triggers the first morph, sorry, phase and then allows all subsequent phases is located on the Y chromosome." I took an ill-placed pause here and it freaked Leah out.

"Are you saying that I'm actually a man?" she gasped.

"Do you get your period?" I snapped, annoyed at her sudden panic.

Leah looked a little taken aback by my question and she looked awkwardly over her shoulder at Paul, "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, I can see you have breasts and if you also have a menstrual cycle then I can safely say that you do not have a Y chromosome. During the production of sperm there is a thing called cross-over that swaps some of the genes from one chromosome to its partner before they are split up. In your case, and mine, this has happened in our father's sex chromosomes so we have received the gene that triggers phasing. It's crazy rare but it does happen." I finished with a defiant emphasis on the word 'does' and looked back out at the horizon.

"So, that's it? I'm not some sort of freak?" Leah seemed to be talking more to herself than anyone else but I couldn't help myself.

"Of course you're a freak. You can spontaneously erupt into a wolf, it doesn't get much more freaky than that." In my periphery I saw Leah smile and a tiny, teeny-weeny part of me was glad to see it.

"So..." Leah started. I hated when people started a sentence with 'so', not only was it bad grammar but it almost always preceded an awkward conversation. "When did you first phase?"

Okay, maybe not as awkward as I had expected.

I took a second to think about the question before answering, "I was about eleven the first time. You?" I wasn't really interested but it felt like the right thing to say.

"Nineteen." Leah sighed before turning towards me, "Isn't eleven kind of young to start phasing?"

I didn't know what it was but part of me liked Leah and I answered her question, fairly, willingly. "It's youngish. Most of my pack mates m- phased for the first time between thirteen and fifteen. For us, nineteen is actually really late for a first phase."

"You did have a pack then?"

This was starting to get a little too personal for my liking, but I answered anyway, "Yes, it was much larger than yours is. Thirty-eight shifters, twenty-nine families."

"What happened to them?" Leah pried and she had gone too far.

I refused to answer her. Which, I might add, was impressive considering how angry the thought of them made me. I wanted to yell at her to mind her own business, I wanted to curse her out. Shit, I even felt the slight urge to morph, sorry phrase – I don't think I will ever get used to calling it that – and break her arm again.

"How long have you been in America?" Leah asked quickly, seeming to notice my growing resentment.

"Too long." I said simply.

"Don't you like it? It's really not that bad if you give it a chance." It sounded like I might have offended Leah, not that I was surprised, if someone had said that about Australia I would probably have been offended too.

"It's not like that. I like travelling and I should be back in Asia by now."

"So, that's what you do? You travel from continent to continent, all alone, never stopping?" Leah sounded somewhat stunned by the idea but at the same time I could tell that she liked the idea of trying it.

"I stop. When I need to sleep."

"Can I be honest with you?" Leah whispered, so low I think even Paul had difficulty hearing her.

"Who am I going to tell, if you are?"

"I've been thinking of leaving. I don't think I'll leave the country but I keep thinking time alone may help me with..." she looked over her shoulder at the group of shifters watching us warily, "I just think it would help."

"Who am I to tell you not to?" I grumbled as I wriggled my fingers into the cool sand, not even looking at Leah anymore.

"Well, what's it like? Being independent? Not having to constantly worry about others or what they'll think?" Leah leant onto her slightly outstretched legs to get a better look at my face.

"I never cared what people thought. I always believed that if you care when you're around people than you will care when they are not there. I didn't leave my pack because I wanted independence." I finished with a slight growl to try and make it clear that was as much information as I would give her about that.

"No, they kicked you out." I heard Paul grumble to himself and a hot shiver of anger ran up my spine.

I struggled to hold back my temper but I remembered biting Leah, when she didn't deserve it, and the thought of accidentally hurting her again seemed enough for me to just keep a hold of myself.

"Shut up, Paul! God, why do you have to be such an immature prick?"

"He's got tickets on himself." I muttered to myself as I wedged my hand deeper into the sand where it was wetter and colder. I saw Paul shift his feet, out of the corner of my eye, and felt him tense up. I loved that particular wolf-sense of judging the emotions of a situation or person, it came in handy more often than any other ability.

"He's what?" Leah laughed.

"Oh, nothing." I said dismissively as I turned my hand into a scoop and pushed out a large column of sand.

"What does 'having tickets' mean?" Leah continued to pry but I could hear joyous enthusiasm in her words.

"He doesn't just have tickets. He has tickets on himself, it means that he's an arrogant wanker." I kept watching him out of the corner of my eye and I continued to feel the tension rolling from him but I didn't care. I wondered how much prodding it would take to get him to start a fight.

_**Jared's POV**_

Everyone was anxious as Paul and Leah headed down to where Gabriella was sitting. When she was sitting alone like that, just amusing herself and without the pressure of someone watching over her shoulder, she was somehow different. It was a small difference, so marginal that I don't think anyone else noticed it. But I did and as I watched Paul and Leah reach her I saw the shift, like a light switch had been flicked.

I wondered if she would ever just leave the switch untouched; if one day she would trust us enough to let her guard down. I knew that if Paul got his way we would never know, but I was still hopeful that Sam would decide otherwise.

The only reason Sam was letting her stay was that she was providing Leah with some support and comfort. Sam worried for Leah, he still loved her and I knew that he always would. Before he imprinted he was thinking that she would always be his, he was planning on proposing one day and having children with her. That sort of commitment to another person is not easy to give up, even if you want to.

"I do hope Paul can control himself." Kim murmured from my lap.

I rested my chin on the top of her head, "He doesn't really have a choice."

"What does that mean?" Kim moved to get a better look at me and my head dropped suddenly once hers was gone from under it.

"I've ordered him to not start anything." Sam sighed. He was laying a few metres away from us with his head placed gently on Emily's outstretched legs, staring up at Emily and taking in her every movement.

I knew that fascinated looked because I got it myself when I watched Kim. Everything she did amazed me and I knew that I could spend the rest of my life just watching her age, watching her become more and more beautiful. Every time I looked at her I found something else about her that made me fall even more in love with her.

How she had to look at someone's eyes before she looked at another person. The way that she brushed hair from her face, and she had that one lock that always managed to fall out from behind her ear, no matter how hard she tried to push it back. The high squeak that signalled the start of her laugh. All of it made me love her more with every moment we spent together and I couldn't imagine ever being without her.

"It must be hard for him." Kim said softly as she leant her head back on my shoulder.

"Pardon?" even I could hear the vagueness of my voice but I knew that no one here would really care about that.

"Paul. It must be hard for him at the moment. What with Rachel packing up her stuff."

"Rachel's started packing?" Emily sounded shocked.

"Yeah, there are boxes in the hall that are half full of her stuff." Kim continued, "I couldn't imagine how he must feel. I know that I would be beyond crushed if you told me you were walking away from our relationship."

I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed, "I'd never leave you."

"I'm sure Rachel never planned to leave like this. I remember her saying wanted to leave with Paul, not without him." Emily sniffed and I got the feeling that she, too, was feeling for Paul.

I doubted any of us could truly understand how he was feeling though. I was impressed that he got out of bed in the morning, because I know that I would die if Kim ever decided to leave me.

The love I had for Kim wasn't normal. It was almost certainly not the sort of reliance that any teenager should feel for another, the all consuming desire to spend my life with Kim was far from normal. Just the thought of having to go one day without seeing her made me feel nauseous.

"Why do you think Gabriella is as angry as she is?" Kim said shifting topics so abruptly that I think I suffered momentary conversational whip lash.

"Where did that come from?"

"I was just thinking that Paul is angry because he's hurting. Do you think Gabriella is hurting?" I hugged Kim tighter to me, loving how concerned she was with the strange shifter.

"Probably." Sam said simply, still staring at Emily.

"She's such an old soul." Emily mused, "Have you seen the way she watches the town's people, particularly the children? It's strangely maternal and protective. And did you notice that this morning she pushed in Brady's chair when he left the room?"

"Maybe she's just polite." Kim suggested.

"She threatened to kill Emily when they first met, I don't think she did it to be polite." Sam muttered and I could hear the annoyance at the thought of Emily being threatened.

"I don't think she was trying to threaten me." Emily protested.

"Do you think she's ever imprinted? That maybe losing her imprint has made her bitter?" Kim interrupted before Sam and Emily started arguing about Gabriella's intentions, which they did every time the threat was mentioned.

"Maybe." Emily sighed, "It might explain why she doesn't like others and why she's travelling. Maybe having shifters around her reminds her of her imprint and maybe it's too much for her to handle. I hope it's not. I'd hate to see Paul suffer like that."

"I think it's got to do with those scars." I suggested, trying to move the topic to something less awkward than Paul's breaking heart.

"Almost certainly." Sam said as he fell back into observing Emily.

"There are lots of them." Kim pondered.

"And they look like they would have hurt." Emily sighed, presumably thinking about her own scars, "Cuts like that would probably have taken ages to heal, every time she blinked or sneezed they would have opened again."

"I think vampires did it." Sam piped in, "Cuts as thin as those should have healed without scarring. It would also explain her disdain for the Cullens."

"Let's be honest, it's not disdain; it's pure loathing." Jacob corrected as he came up from the water to sit with us.

His pack had come with Leah and were now playing touch football with the rest of our pack. Quil was the only one not playing with them as he was building a sandcastle with Claire and seemed oblivious to the noisy wolves behind him.

"Does she really dislike them that much?" Kim dropped her head to the side and looked up at me. I couldn't resist the urge to give kiss her, although I fought to keep it as PG as possible considering there was a child playing down by the water.

"You'd have to see it to fully understand." Sam tried to explain, "But when the Cullens had shown up for the first time she had freaked. She'd been fairly civil up to that point but their presence made her... furious and kind of paranoid. She started growling about us tricking her, trying to trap her as fodder for the Cullens. You should have heard what she called them..."

I thought back to the event in question, it was just after Brady and Collin had caught up to her in the woods. By the time myself and Sam had gotten there she had phased back to her wolf form and she was very nervous about our presence. Sam and Jacob were the only ones that could hear her when in wolf form but Sam had repeated a lot of her slurs and I was shocked at the profanities. They were quite imaginative though, some actually earned a small laugh from some of us, even Paul once but he refused to admit it. Like Plasma Guzzler, Vein Drainer and my current favourite, Emo Wannabe.

"She accidentally broke Leah's arm when Leah tried to give her some clothes. Emmett grabbed her tail breaking up the ensuing fight and when he refused to let her go she crushed the bones in his right shoulder. She's got quite a jaw on her, it took him a few hours to heal properly." Jacob mused as I watched Gabriella flick up a large handful of sand as Paul tensed behind her.

"How many scars does she have?" Emily asked, "I heard Brady and Collin talking this morning about some of them, it sounded bad."

"Oh, don't get us started on what Brady and Collin saw. Neither of them can get over having seen her naked, it's quite annoying." I groaned. Ever since that day I disliked patrolling because Collin and Brady were always thinking about how she had looked, putting the picture into everyone else's minds; and the emotions. I shuddered at the thought.

"The ones on her face are the smallest. She has the tear in her ear and a fair few larger ones on the rest of her bodies. Brady is most fascinated with the circular one on her hip and I have to give him that, it is quite curious. It's so large and perfectly circular. I agree with Jared, I think the scars are the cause of her anger. I can't begin to comprehend the torture and pain she must have felt while they were being inflicted." Sam sighed as he moved to stand.

"How large is large?" Kim asked.

I picked up Kim's hand, as Sam walked past us towards where Gabriella, Leah and Paul were now all standing, and inspected her palm, "Your palm couldn't cover it all." Kim gasped and shivered at the thought.

I dragged myself away from Kim. Sam was halfway to Paul and Gabriella when Paul pushed her, quite hard. Sam broke into a fast jog and I took off after him. Unfortunately, Gabriella was too fast and her fist collided with Paul's face moments before Sam could reach them.


	5. The Pain of Submission

_**Gabriella's POV**_

Paul was really pushing my buttons; he seemed to be able to read my mind and knew exactly what to say to piss me off. Still I refused to snap, I wouldn't be the one to start this. I didn't like starting things because if I failed then I would look absolutely stupid, I would look like a wanker for starting it in the first place. No, I would wait; I would let Paul be the one to look like a fool when I beat the crap out of him.

"Be honest with yourself, they didn't want you." Paul spat. Somehow things had gotten back around to my old pack and I knew that Paul was just prodding to find something hurtful enough for me to lose it.

"Be honest with _yourself_, nobody really wants you." I could see the hurt that flashed across his face, deeper than it should have been and I felt a niggle of guilt.

Paul tried to control himself but I could tell by the growing shake that it wasn't working. I may have felt a little guilty but I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face. I knew that I could take him on and I wanted to have a good shot at him, hopefully Sam wouldn't split this up this time. Despite expecting it, I was somehow surprised when he pushed me.

Normally I would have just taken it, could have made a joke about how girly his push was, but not this time. I'd been waiting for days to get some form of physical release for the anger that this pack was invoking. So I let fly and the feel of Paul's hard jaw bone under my knuckles was strangely pleasing.

It was as if the punch was a trigger and we were swamped by several pack members that forced us into the cover of the closest reach of the forest. This I found odd but I understood at the same time. The entirety of my home town knew about shifting, because everyone was closely related to at least one shifter. Morphing in the middle of the town was not recommended but it was never forbidden, mainly because everyone knew about it. No one outside of this pack and their families knew of shape-shifting so they had to make sure neither Paul nor myself phased in front of the general public.

Once inside the tree line I morphed, much to the surprise of Brady and Jared who were controlling my path to the trees. Paul followed my lead and the real fight started.

If you've never been a wolf and had to fight against another then you can't understand how good they are for releasing pent up frustrations. Even when your attacks miss you feel better, as long as you aim right. But nothing felt better than actually catching some of his skin between my teeth. It was borderline psychotic, I know, but when you're angry there isn't anything better than making others suffer.

There were several other wolves surrounding us, trying to get between us and push us apart. As long as we kept our bodies close then we could sort this shit out once and for all.

Unfortunately Paul had me on sheer weight and soon I was knocked down, but I refused to give in to him. I bit, scratched and kicked as he attacked me from above, I may have been down but I wasn't out. I could feel blood trickle down my muzzle and along my jowl, and I could see the blood on Paul's face, it was surprising the damage that could be inflicted so quickly.

I surged against his attack, lunging from the ground at his throat. I was the tiniest bit too slow and he sidestepped my attack, allowing me to get back to my feet. As I got up I felt an unexpected blow to my hip and it was strong enough to spin me towards a nearby pine tree, which I thankfully missed. As I refocused on my attacker I found him charging at me again, this time I was the one to sidestep and Paul was unfortunate enough not to miss the tree. It creaked and buckled under his weight, the tree and the wolf landing with a great thump. He let out an uncontrollable yelp as the landing forced the air from his lungs.

The separation was enough for five other wolves to get between us and block our attempts to get back at one another. Sam, Quil and Leah were staring down Paul, while Jacob and Jared were focused on me.

'Settle down, Gabriella.' Jacob's voice rang in my ears; it was meant to sound calming but it just fanned the flames of my anger.

Jacob in general made me angry. The sad thing was it wasn't actually Jacob that I was angry with. It was the stench of the Glitter Monkeys that he lived with. The ones he brought with him to restrain me. It was a smell that made my blood boil, so grotesquely sugary and ever present on him. I did wonder why none of his other pack members smelt so disgusting but I didn't really care. When Jacob was around all I could think about was peeling his skin away, or plucking all his fur out, to get rid of the smell.

The anger in me wouldn't let me give in that easily, 'Move, Leech Lover!'

'Gabriella!' I heard Sam's voice this time and he sounded shocked, 'Step down!' Sam turned to me, with hard black eyes. I growled at him, not liking that he thought he could order me around, 'Step down or I will put you down.'

'Try it.' My thought was short and hard and Sam pulled his lips up in response.

He leapt at me, aiming a bite at my throat. I bit back in kind; both of us just missed gripping the skin. Sam reared up and I followed his action and we rested our paws on each other's shoulders as we snapped our jaws and bared our teeth at each other.

I knew from the get go that this wasn't going to be a proper fight, call it wolf intuition. No, this was a test to see who would back down first and it was going to take a while. I was just stubborn when it came to these sorts of things, I didn't like having to admit defeat. And Sam sure as heck wasn't going to back down without really pushing me to the limits, he had a pack to protect; and impress.

Ten minutes later and the to and fro was starting to get on my nerves. Fights like this normally didn't last this long, normally someone would give in out of pure exhaustion by now but we were both going strong. Every now and then one of us would slip or falter and the other would get the upper hand for a few seconds, but sooner or later we ended back on neutral ground and waiting for the next mistake.

Yes, I was female, but I had always been large for a wolf, regardless of gender. Sam was bigger than me but the beauty of fighting was that size, although advantageous, was not necessarily a guarantor of success. I had proved that in my last pack and I would prove that here and now. The only problem was the growing ache in my left hip; I had to end this soon or I ran the risk of a painful injury.

Sam stumbled and fell sideways. I was on him in seconds, trying to get a grip on his neck. Sensing that this was not the place he wanted to be at that moment he started to lash out, kicking his feet madly in an attempt to make contact with me, any part of me. And he did. One of his hind feet struck painfully at my hip joint and I yelped as I jumped away from him.

He twisted around and got back to his feet, rearing up to show his dominance once more. I tried to copy him but as my back moved closer to vertical the pain in my hip gripped tighter, like someone was pressing their fingertips hard into the supply flesh of my weakened joint. Before I could match Sam's height I let out a small whimper and collapsed back to all fours.

I was ashamed at my failure and I skulked away from the large black wolf. With every step I took I felt a sharp wave of pain wash from my hip to my head. My injured hip used to hurt when the weather got particularly cold but today was fairly warm and I was confused at the sudden onset of discomfort, and it's smooth transition to immense pain.

'Are you okay?'

To add to my confusion about why my hip was sore, now there was a voice in my head that wasn't Sam, Jacob or my own. I knew the voice, it was Jared but knowing who it was didn't alleviate my bewilderment. I didn't mean to but I was so confronted that all I could do was growl at him. After a few silent moments realisation had set in.

My loss was being equated to submission. I'd just submitted to Sam, in effect making me part of his pack. I didn't like that.

'I'm fine.' I snapped, annoyed by just about every aspect of this situation.

'You don't look it.' Sam's voice boomed in my ears and I growled again.

'I don't care how I look. I'm telling you that I'm fine.'

'We should take you to Sue.' Sam didn't seem to be listening, 'Henry, go tell Sue to expect our arrival.'

'No! I'm not going to Sue, I'm not going to see anyone because I'm fine. I just need a good night's rest.' I yelled at every voice that was buzzing in my head. It had been a long time since I'd heard this commotion, almost seven years to be precise.

'You're admitting that you're hurt though?' Jared mumbled as he stepped closer to me.

'You will be too if you don't stop asking stupid questions.'

'Okay, Collin.' Sam turned away from me, 'Take Gabriella back to the house, you're on watch tonight.'

I sighed in defeat. Today was not going as I'd hoped it would so I wasn't going to keep fighting it, which would almost certainly make it worse. I started moving in the direction of Sam's house but after a few small steps the pain was getting too much. So I positioned my left leg into a stiff right angle and half hopped back to Sam's, feeling foolish the entire time.

Gaurd dog


	6. Spanner in the Works

_**Gabriella's POV**_

Collin was sitting on the bed in my room, his knees pulled up to his chest and his socked feet tapping aimlessly on the bedspread. He was nervous and I had a pretty good idea why.

Partly, it was because I'd just had yet another fight with Paul, and partly because of the altercation between his Alpha and me. Mostly it was because I was still in wolf form and he had reverted to his human shape.

I had no intention of hurting Collin, I had no intention of doing anything to Collin. It may sound harsh but he was low in the pack, attacking him would serve nothing more than to make the others even more pissed at me.

The choice to remain in wolf form was not supposed to scare Collin, in fact it had nothing to do with him what so ever. I was remaining in wolf form because I am a wuss. The ache in my hip had not subsided and I didn't want to think about how bad it would feel if I forced it to break apart and shift into a different spot. At the moment the idea of never changing forms again was very appealing.

But my luck had been crap all day and it wasn't going to improve any time soon.

We'd been back in my room for almost an hour, in the usual awkward silence that clogged the room when it was just me and a 'watcher', and despite my soundless pleas to be left alone, I could hear the approach of the others. I could hear as they opened the front door and headed down the hall.

"Now, I don't know how she's going to take to your presence, but please don't take it to heart." I heard Jared say in a hushed tone.

"She'll probably still be a wolf so I'll have to get her to change first." Sam grumbled as he stopped outside the door, "Wait here, please."

The door opened and Sam strode in. Collin looked at him, wide eyed, and was relieved when Sam gestured for him to leave. He scurried from the room and closed the door behind him, it closed with a click and Sam turned to me.

"I know you heard me." Sam said as he opened the second drawer of my chest of drawers and pulled out a neatly folded t-shirt and pair of shorts. He placed them on the bed and turned back to face the wall, "I won't look."

I didn't really care if he looked. Eight years ago, when I was a normal teenagers I would have but once you've spent a few years wandering around without access to clothes you get used to being naked, but you also realise how unimportant something like clothes really are.

Anyway, at the moment, nudity is not my problem. The burning pain in my hip was the issue and I really didn't want to exacerbate it with a non-essential morph. I grimaced to myself at the thought of having to morph in my current state, unable to get past the idea that it might cause permanent damage.

"Hurry up, Gabriella. I don't have all day." Sam growled but I got the feeling that he wasn't as concerned with me taking my time as he was with getting someone to look at my hip. It was strange because I didn't want his worrying about me, I didn't like his worrying.

I morphed from my spot on my dog bed and instantly wished I hadn't. The pain welled as I morphed and then, like a dam bursting, exploded from my hip as it clicked into a different position. As I lay, naked on the floor, I gasped and groaned at the burn that consumed my entire left side. I kicked the floor with the heel of my right foot, grunting, trying to take my mind off the pain.

It took a few minutes but eventually the pain started to recede and I was left panting in my own discomfort. I looked over towards the bed and my eyes rested on Sam, his shoulders set stiffly and his head bowed. He was upset about something, ashamed somehow. I ignored it and reached out for the clothes.

My fingertips grazed the shorts and I stretched further, pinching my fingers on either side of the fabric and pulling. My fingers slid from the cloth but not until after the shorts had moved towards the edge of the bed. Despite losing my grip on the clothes they moved far enough off the bed to fall to the floor, where I could reach them better.

I pulled the t-shirt on, tugging it down as far as it would go and then snatched up the shorts. At this point I came unstuck. I couldn't bend at the waist as so I couldn't reach to put my feet in the shorts. I cursed myself, and Sam, for expecting me to do it and looked around for some way to get the pants on.

The pain in my side made me less resilient than normal and when I couldn't think of a non-painful way to get dressed I growled at Sam, "I can't get the fucking shorts on."

"Um... okay, can I help in anyway?" Sam offered as he turned away from the wall and looked towards me with concerned eyes.

I grumbled to myself, not wanting him to get too close to me. I couldn't think of any way to get the shorts on that didn't involve painful movement or awkward proximity. I decided for the least daunting option and carefully planted my hands on the hem of the shorts.

Bringing my knees up while bending forward, I just got my feet into the legs of the shorts before I straightened up. I growled at myself as my hip seemed to catch fire, still I didn't relax my grip because that would mean having to go through the pain a second time. The hem of the shorts rose up my thighs and I pushed my hips up so it could move past my hips to settle around my waist. I gasped when I finished and as I looked up at Sam, for a second time, he looked pained by what he'd seen.

"Sue! You can come in now." Sam called before turning to me in a low voice, "Please, just let her check you over." I didn't really want to give in to Sam's request but I figured it would be easier than getting into another fight.

I think I did alright.

Okay, so I did freak a little when Sue tried to touch me but I remained in human form and didn't swear all that much. I, relatively politely, refused to let Sue come within arm's reach but conceded to letting her look over my hip.

I had pulled down the side of the shorts to show the disturbingly pink scar that sat over my hip like a spot had been painted on me with permanent lavender ink. The look on Sue's face was beyond shocked, the blood ran from her face and her eyes almost burst from her head. I figured she was shocked at the size of the scar and the fact that I'm a shifter.

All of my scars were semi-miraculous in regards to my shifting abilities. They shouldn't really be there, well, the ones on my face, yes. The scars on my face had had small amounts of milked vampire venom dripped into them, vampire venom always led to a scar. But the rest of my body... I always put that down to the vampire venom too, although I was never too sure of that. But I wasn't going to tell them anything about it, not about the cause of the cuts, not about the venom. None of that was there business.

"Oh, sweet heart. That looks like it hurt." Sue had gasped as she reached towards me. I growled at the thought and Sam grabbed Sue's shoulder. She seemed to realise what she was doing now and pulled back, "Does your hip normally hurt?"

"It sometimes gets stiff when it's cold." I said in the flattest voice I could muster.

"Well... I'd say it's just a sprain. Your existing injuries are just intensifying the pain. I could be more precise if you'd let me touch your hip."

"No!" I snapped, wanting to nip the notion in the butt before it went too far. The thought of her touching me, of any of them getting that close, made me sick.

"Okay, okay." Sue soothed, "We'll see how you heal tonight. If there are any issues than we'll have to-" Sue stopped short, I assumed she could see exactly how much I don't like where she was going, "talk about some way around it."

Sue looked sheepish as she turned to Sam. After a few silent moments Sam ushered her out of the room and closed the door. He sighed as he turned and headed for the bed. He sat down where he had placed the clothes a few minutes earlier.

"Sue is only trying to help."

"I don't need her help." I grumbled as I tried to move into a more comfortable position.

"What is your problem?" Sam growled back.

"You. All of you."

"No, you had problems before you came here, you can't deny it."

"At the moment I'm not concerned with them. You are the one standing in my way." I would have gotten in Sam's face at this point, if it weren't for the fact that I couldn't even stand.

"How did you get those scars?" he sounded serious now and I was surprised that he didn't use his Alpha Voice.

"That's none of your business." the words rumbled low in my throat.

"How did you get those scars?" Sam asked again only this time he did use his Alpha Voice.

I could feel the urge to answer him rising, I clenched my jaw to stop the words from coming out. Today was bad enough, I wasn't going to let this happen, not now. I was amazed at how easy it was to suppress the words, even if the urge was bubbling in my stomach.

Sam seemed shocked, "Answer me."

It wasn't the first time I had had the Alpha Voice used multiple times on me in one conversation. My old pack Alpha, Wayne, was a lover of the Alpha Voice. Well, he was actually just impatient so he would use the voice to get to the bottom of things as soon as possible.

"No. That's none of your business, you are not my Alpha." I growled.

Had I not been in a crazy amount of pain, from leaning too much weight on my hip while I moved, then I would have laughed at the expression on Sam's face. It was more than just confusion, it was total and utter disbelief, from a man who can turn into a wolf.

"How can you do that?" he asked, he wasn't using his Alpha Voice this time.

"Easy, I'm not part of your pack."

"Then how is it that the others were able to hear you before?" Sam was starting to get angry, as most shifters do when they can't figure something out, or when they find their deductions are wrong.

I so wanted to be able to tell him some fancy explanation, but the truth was that I had absolutely no idea why it was that I could hear his pack mates and yet didn't need to follow his commands. Maybe it was how I submitted, maybe I have to actually give up rather than fall to injury. Maybe it was a mindset thing, I didn't think I was part of his pack and so I wasn't – okay, that I don't believe, rarely did ones choice bare any weight when it came to wolf or pack matters.

A hot wave flew up my side and I gasped at the sudden pain. It looked like my hip wasn't going to give up as easily as I did. I rolled back onto my back and breathed deep, trying to control the pain by will alone.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow." Sam muttered as he pushed off the bed and strode to the door. Without another word to me he left and Collin snuck back in, returning to the spot he'd vacated when Sam had arrived and reverting back to his anxious position. I rolled my eyes and looked away.


	7. Irrational

_**Gabriella's POV**_

I didn't get a lot sleep that night, not in human form and not with the pain. As time went by the pain did fade, but never enough to morph to wolf form. My lack of confidence in my safety while in human form just added to the pain in trouncing my growing exhaustion.

Collin seemed to find me human for a little comforting and he calmed down after a while, even falling asleep at around one in the morning. He was a sweet young boy, he reminded me of the pack members that I'd left in Australia; mind you all of Sam's pack reminded me of at least one long gone friend.

The sun was just peaking over the horizon when I must have dozed off, because next thing I knew it was glaring in my eyes. I curled in on myself a little to get my eyes out of the burning path of the light. It was then that I realised my eyes hurt the most.

I reached down to my hip, pushing the t-shirt and shorts out of the way to feel the shiny smooth skin of the scar. I felt my fingers on my hip but not an ounce of pain. Wanting to be on the safe side I pressed my fingers into the flesh, there was a slight ache but nothing that concerned me. I smiled as I sat up and looked down.

Finding only a small pale blue bruise at the edge of the scar, I sighed half a laugh and curled up into a tight ball just to make sure that the pain was really gone. I didn't feel a single morsel of pain.

"Proud of yourself, are you?"

I spun at the sound of that voice, as I had expected Collin to still be on watch. Not Paul.

"What are you doing here?" I growled.

"Collin had to get to school, all the younger ones did. Sam and Jared are on patrol. I was the only one left to protect the town from you." Paul said with a sly smile

"Okay. Do you mind if we go outside?" to any other person I would have been half polite in making my request but Paul's mere presence had me irritated and I could barely manage a neutral tone, let alone a polite one.

"Actually, I do." Paul said with a surreptitious glare.

I took a deep breath and stared at him. I couldn't force him to follow me, well I could. I could run and make him chase me down but knowing my luck it would just result in another hip injury and I couldn't be certain that this one was fully healed yet. But I so wanted to fight him again. To properly sort this out as I'd hoped would happen yesterday.

"Now, the way I see this is, you can either comply with what I want or we can see how your precious hip will hold up in another fight." I growled at Paul for the smug tone he used.

"Whatever. Just keep your mouth shut, we'd hate for you to get your arse handed to you for real this time." I grumbled as I pulled myself up off the dog bed. My hip ached slightly, like it had been in a cast for the last month, but I ignored it, I wouldn't show Paul any weakness.

"Ha! You seriously think that you can win in a fight against me? You're not only redundant, you're delusional." Paul laughed as he waltzed out of the room.

I followed reluctantly, wishing that I was feeling safer in the strength of my hip so I could put Paul to this test he was begging for. I considered taking him on as I was but we both knew where my weakest point was and all it would take is one well aimed swipe, one stupid slip, and it would all come undone. For me.

"You should never underestimate your opponent, it's how every promising fighter comes undone." I muttered as I stomped on his shadow. Childish? Yes, but it was safer then smacking him upside his head.

"You act like you actually know how to win a fight." Paul sounded so conceited that I had to physically grab my own hand to stop myself from hitting him.

"I do. If it weren't for your little protectors then I would have proved that twice already."

We entered the kitchen and Paul went straight to the fridge, I leant against the door frame as I waited for him.

"Sure, that's why you haven't won. I have been in a fight against an army of New Born vampires. What have you done that's so great?"

I contemplated answering that question sincerely but decided against it. There was no way that Paul was going to get that one over on me, "Vampires, shmampires. Those Bloodless Morons aren't all that challenging. _Oh... but their soooo strong_." I imitated a teeny-bopper before returning to my usual seriousness, "Strength doesn't stand for shit. There's only so far that it can get a person."

"So you've beaten something better than a new born vampire?"

"I've dominated wolves bigger and wiser than you." I spat and instantly kicked myself. I hadn't wanted to admit anything to him and I'd fallen into his stupid trap. He looked so smug that I had to look away from him in order not to lose my cool.

"Really? That makes sense. They got rid of you because you are violent and irrational." he crooned.

"Irrational?" I struggled to suppress a laugh, "You don't know me well enough to say I'm irrational."

"But you admit you're violent?"

"Yes. But that has nothing to do with my segregation from my pack."

"Then what does?"

"I don't have to answer you and just because I have to spend time with you, doesn't mean I have to talk to you." I said defiantly before following Paul into the living room.

"Really? You think that you can ignore me, all day? Because that's what it's going to be. I'm the only one available to babysit you until at least six o'clock. That's more than eight hours. Are you sure you can ignore me?"

I cringed at the thought of eight hours with Paul inside Emily and Sam's house. It was going to be a long, long day.

**_Sam's POV_**

'I just don't know what the hell is going on.' I admitted to Jared as we patrolled opposite sides the territory.

Gabriella was really messing things up and yet I couldn't bring myself to send her away. There was something in her that reminded me of Leah and every time I decided to ask her to leave all I could see was Leah, heartbroken and miserable. I couldn't muster the strength to cause that sort of pain again, although I got a feeling that Gabriella wouldn't be all that hurt. The risk that she would be was... I just didn't know what to do.

'Do you trust her?' Jared asked as a picture of the horizon flashed into my mind – it was what Jared was seeing.

'Not as far as I could throw her. She's beyond violent.' I sighed as Philip phased and his thoughts intruded into our conversation.

'Stupid brat. I'm going to fail because of her. What's up, guys? Where do you want me to start?' Philip muttered, his thoughts rolling around the fact that his four year old sister had cut up his maths homework.

'Patrol the northern border. Try to concentrate on patrolling too.' I tried to send him a supportive thought but I don't know how well it got across, seeing as all I could think about was the Gabriella issue.

'Will do!' Philip chirped as he bounded north to his post.

'Do you think she'd actually hurt someone?' Jared asked with deep apprehension.

'Why do you care so much?' I thought back and Jared was slightly startled.

'I just... I think there's something about her. Every time I try to analyse her all I can think of is Kim, saying that 'she's human, and we can't treat her like the enemy'. There's just something and I want to know what it is.'

'It's dangerous, that's what it is.' Philip was almost at the border and he seemed keen to get into the conversation. Gabriella was an exciting subject for everyone but myself, and Paul. They wanted to know where she came from, what she was thinking.

When she'd submitted last night they had been excited to hear her but that excitement had soon turned to trepidation. Her thoughts were almost as angry as her actions and in her pain she had been barely decipherable. I had never thought that Australian's talked that differently to American's but it seemed they did and not only was her accent was insanely strong but the slang she used had us all confused.

'If you can't add something constructive, don't add anything, Philip.' Jared sounded annoyed, just as I felt.

'But yes, I think that if the circumstances were right she would kill someone. Her only saving grace is that she has no interest in the tribe.' I smelt something strange on a nearby tree and turned to it to investigate.

'Did you ask Leah about what Gabriella told her?' Jared stopped moving to listen to my thoughts about the smell.

'Female shifters are normal, although exceedingly rare. And her pack is huge compared to ours. Almost forty shifters spread around thirty families.' I sniffed hard at the smell and the scent of vampire stabbed at my nostrils. I sneezed, hard.

'Could you imagine having such a big pack? I thought ten was big.' Philip wondered, I ignored him.

'But no answer as to why she hates vampires so much.' I finished as I gagged on the residual scent. I don't know how Jake and his pack do it, that smell is horrendous.

'She's a werewolf, it's her purpose in life to hate vampires.' Philip seemed confused, as usual. He was young and thought the world was black and white.

'She's a shifter. Her purpose, if she's anything like us, is to protect the humans of her town. Anyway, if we hate vampires, she loathes them. Even Paul has never been so disgusted by the presence of those leeches.' I tried to explain but learnt quickly that it wasn't sinking in.

'Hate is hate. She's just more vocal about her hate.'

Jared was able to take over here, thankfully, because my own confusion was making it hard for me to keep my cool, 'Not all hate is the same. We hate vampires for what they are. We can tolerate the Cullens because they haven't bitten any humans. Gabriella doesn't care about that, she hates vampires on a far more personal level. She's like... old world racist Christians, no amount of communication with vampires would make her hate them any less.'

'Maybe her pack just didn't have any tolerance for vampires.'

'That's just it.' I groaned as I kept patrolling, I'd learnt the more specific scents of the Cullens and I knew that one to be Renesmee and would tolerate it because I could smell Jacob's scent mingled with it. 'I was listening to her thoughts yesterday afternoon, after she'd gotten back to the house. She was angry with her pack for something involving vampires.'

'Maybe they used vampires to send her away?' Philip's suggestion was mingled with imaginings of groups of vampires chasing a golden wolf across a red desert.

'Don't assume she comes from the desert.' Jared snapped, 'Most Australian's live along the coast.'

'You know a lot about Australia.' Philip moaned.

'He's father went there for work once.' I grumbled, 'Alright, for the rest of the night we a not to talk about anything in regards to Gabriella. Not about her, not about vampires chasing her and not even about Australia. No Gabriella based thoughts.' I didn't use my Alpha voice but I knew they would obey me.


	8. Fight or Flight

A/N: Hopefully this chapter will answer a few questions, but I must warn you a few more questions will pop up. Anyway, enjoy...

* * *

_**Gabriella's POV**_

Paul was persistent. Stubborn to a fault.

"Does it take a lot of energy to be that pretentious?" Paul asked, it had been two hours and he had barely stopped in his torrential outpour of questions, pausing only momentarily to see if I would say anything. When it was clear I wasn't he would find another question or think of a statement to try and break me.

It's been two hours and so far he has failed at every attempt.

"I'm sure it does. It's probably why you have to phase before you can sleep properly." That didn't really make sense but I let him continue, "Is it why they kicked you out of Australia? Your pretentiousness?"

I didn't react at all, just remained motionless on the couch.

"Or maybe you were just too aggressive for them. Australians are the lazy type after all. You know, it was too much energy to stop you from getting into fights so they kicked you out of the country."

I sighed but kept my gazed fixed on the bare white ceiling.

"How do you manage that? Getting kicked out of a country that was founded by criminals. That's got to be a first, huh?"

Silence.

"It's not that surprising really. I only had to look at you to know that you were no good. I'm sure your parent's only kept you around because they were ashamed to admit how much they hated you." That struck a nerve, one that I was so far surprised hadn't been hit already.

The involuntary shaking started as I tried to hold back the morph. I tried to suppress the words but I couldn't. They had been said and I had heard them, I couldn't un-hear them. The shaking wouldn't subside and I knew that I couldn't morph inside of a house without causing a scene. I flew up from the couch and raced out the back door to the forests soothing shadows.

Paul followed hot on my heels, I wasn't sure if he was doing it because he had to or because he thought he could torment me some more.

Once I was about a hundred metres into the forest I morphed, in total disregard to the clothes that covered my body. The sound of them tearing was something I still wasn't quite used to although it did bring back a few memories.

The first thing that hit me once I'd morphed was the shock. Several voices gasped their own version of 'what the hell' in my head as they tried to figure out what was going on.

'Gabriella? What are you doing?' I heard Sam demand but I couldn't answer, I was too furious with Paul.

Paul morphed moments after me and _his_ voice sent a chill down my spine, 'So not even your parents wanted you?' I heard his thoughts of mirth and I saw red.

He hit the tipping point and it seemed to take him by surprise. He had clearly expected a slower response. I spun around and clamped my jaws around his neck. A howl of concern sounded in the distance but I ignored it, jerking my body sideways, trying to inflict as much injury as possible. My clenched teeth slid along his skin to find themselves pinching on excess skin and I let go to get a better grip.

Paul took his chance and wrenched his neck from my reach, his snarl was rough and raw as he lunged at me. Our forepaws raised and holding ourselves upright against each other as we fought for some control in the situation. Muzzles, faces, ears and legs were fair game in the struggle to get the upper hand.

I pushed against him with all my weight and Paul put one hind leg out further behind him. Unfortunately for him he hadn't noticed the slight drop in the ground at that spot and he tumbled backwards. His jaw reached for the closest thing they could get and he pulled me down after him, by my front right paw.

We rolled over each other for a short distance before separating and getting back to our feet. In the slight break from the melee I could hear voices in my head, pack members pleading for us to stop. Neither of us took any real notice of them as we threw ourselves at each other again.

We snapped and growled at each other, persistent in our attempt to knock the other one down and keep them there. Paul was tenacious, the anger in him urged him to victory and he didn't look as though he would stop until he got it.

We separated from each other again and in my periphery I noticed the arrival of some other wolves. I heard more than I saw and they yelped and whined for us to stop. The begging was starting to get on my nerves and I could tell it was getting at Paul too. Despite this it took only a few seconds for us to literally be at each other's throats again.

I felt a nip at my heel and heard a yelp as I stepped back with my other foot and onto someone's paw. All the time I kept going for his throat, if I could get a good grip and push him down, pin him below my almost equal weight then this would all be over. For now.

But I couldn't get a grip, Paul's neck was bleeding and it made it annoyingly difficult to find skin that wasn't slippery with the warm liquid. I could feel my own blood pooling around my shoulders and dripping down my chest. I knew that there was a good chance that the blood on Paul's neck was not all his but I didn't care. If I could get a grip it didn't matter whose blood he was covered in.

I saw a flash of grey behind Paul and he gave a strange surprised yelp as his attention momentarily flashed to the wolf at his tail. I couldn't believe he would make such a rookie mistake and I took my chance.

I accepted that I wouldn't get a grip on his neck and wouldn't be able to get him to the ground so I figured physical injury would be the quickest way to end this. I angled my attack in just the right way and lunged at him.

My teeth hit the fur of his muzzle and I clamped down with more force than any other bite during this fight. There was a slight resistance but not much as my upper canine pushed through the skin. I pulled my head away and raked my tooth through the muscle of his upper lip.

He hollered a painfully pitiful cry as he spun away from me, phasing back to his human form mid turn. He hands flew up to his face to cup his mouth and he fell to his knees in front of me. I felt a twinge of regret at my actions as I had a feeling Paul had never been in a proper fight, with another shifter, before. I know I hadn't until after I left my pack. The fights I'd had with my wolf-brothers had seemed serious at the time but it wasn't until a pack in New South Wales had taken a bite out of my tail that I realised how trivial those fights had been.

Jared rushed to Paul's side and tried to pry his hands from his face. I could see the blood dripping down his forearm and I retreated back a few steps. I wasn't trying to get away, I just felt like shrinking into the shadows for a few minutes.

Sam's big black wolf body burst into the circle of wolves and his eyes shot straight to me. He didn't take his eyes off me as he ordered a few of the other wolves around, 'Brady, head back to the house and tell Emily what's happened. Paul will be there soon. Collin, Henry, Philip. Help Jared get Paul back to the house.'

The dark coffee coloured wolf that was Brady turned around and disappeared into the shadows of the forest. Three other wolves, one rufous coloured, one dark grey with a black saddle and one that was rust and silver, phased in front of me and struggle to clothe themselves as they rushed to Paul. They knelt beside Paul to help him to his feet and direct him away from the remaining wolves. It was clear that he was not happy about getting their assistance but he complied none the less.

'What the hell did you think you were doing?' Sam growled as the remaining wolves shifted position to encircle me.

'I wasn't thinking.' I admitted, unable to look Sam in the eye.

'Rachel is going to kill me.' Sam grumbled, 'I told her that you were safe, do you know the problems you've created?'

'If Paul will ever tolerate my presence again than I will apologise.'

'I don't care if he can tolerate it, you will apologise. To Paul and Rachel. It's so fucking cliché, you two are so alike and yet you butt heads over everything.' Sam seemed to have relaxed somewhat as he turned back towards the town, 'Gabriella, you come with me. Everyone else, continue with patrolling.' he said simply as he moved away. I trotted to his side before he walked out of my eyesight.

'He was being an arse.'

'I know, I heard him. But that doesn't give you the right to attack him. Tell me, will that last injury scar?'

'I'd be lying if I said I hadn't hoped it will, but it probably won't. I really only split the skin and a fraction of the muscle, if I'd gone the whole way through it may be a different story.'

'At least you're honest.' Sam chuckled ever so slightly, 'Do you mind if I ask how you got your scars?'

'You're my Alpha, it doesn't really matter if I mind does it?' I sighed, fully intending to continue to answer his question but he got in before I could start again.

'I try not to use the Alpha voice thing. I don't want to have to force my pack to do what they do, I want them to do it because they're loyal to the pack.

I smiled, and thought of Wayne. He had been an impressive pack leader, always in control, but unlike Sam he frequently used his Alpha voice to demand things from us. He'd used it to get the truth out of my father when he had not told anyone outside the family about my real paternity.

'Then, I'm sorry. I don't feel that I can, you would misconstrue it all.'

'That doesn't give me much confidence in you. Please, Gabriella, I don't want details just tell me who did it.'

'Why? I've given Leah answers, like you wanted, so now I'm leaving. I shouldn't have even stayed in the first place.' That last thought should not have even come to mind and I growled at myself for thinking it in the first place.

'Leah has more questions. If you and Paul hadn't started a fight yesterday then you'd have answered them all already. Please, stay for Leah.'

I stopped now. In the distance I could see Sam and Emily's house and I didn't want to go any closer unless I had to.

'Why can't you just let me leave?'

'Because Leah needs you.'

'No, Leah needs to stress less. Leah needs to accept that she is what she is and she can't change it.'

'You're a part of this-'

I didn't listen to the end of his thought, 'I'm not part of this pack. I'm not part of any pack. If I wanted a pack I wouldn't have left the one I had. And if you were any sort of Alpha then you would send me away before anyone else gets hurt.'

'Do not question my ability to lead my pack.' Sam's thought was full of anger and I decided to play on it.

'Why shouldn't I? Every other pack I've come across has turned me away, even when I was leaving. I was chased half way across Mexico by wolves half my size because they thought me a threat. You? You're bigger than me, you should be able to turn me away easily and yet you don't have the heart to.' I hoped that it would make him angrier but it didn't.

'Jared's right. There is something about you...'

'Something like what?'

'I don't know but I will find out. You will stay.'

'You can't make me stay, you're not my Alpha.'

Sam looked at me with sly eyes and I knew that if he was in human form he would be smiling at me. I didn't like it.

'Then leave.' the thought was arrogant and I growled to express the anger that it evoked.

I turned around to walk away from Sam, he'd given me the opportunity and I wasn't going to squander it. I made it about four steps when I stopped. Part of me was urging me to leave but another part knew that I couldn't leave now. My reason for staying had yet to be fulfilled and if I left the pack I wouldn't, in good conscience, be able to leave this general area.

What if Stendahl was still looking for me? What if the vampires that had followed me from Canada to Mexico were back on my trail? This pack had no chance against him if they came looking for me and didn't find me. I wondered if they were the sort of pack to give away information willy-nilly or if they would rather take their chances with a fight. If Paul had any say in the matter than they were as good as dead.

But if Stendahl didn't know I was here, if he was still looking around Mexico, then my extended presence would put them at greater risk. It was times like these that I wished I had someone who could tell me where Stendahl was.

I thought of my scars and of my pack.

_Sometimes we must risk our own safety, our own piece of mind, to do what is right._

_There are many choices to make in life. Fight or flight, is the greatest choice of all._

_It is always best to presume the worst and risk it to happen than to assume the best and be responsible for the death of innocents._

_You cannot run forever so when you stop, be sure to make it count._

The words of my old Alpha echoed around my head in a nonsensical pattern and I knew that I wouldn't be able to get them to stop if I walked away now. A growl built in my throat, culminating with a loud aggressive bark as I turned back to Sam.

'I hope you realise what you've done.'

Sam's eyes glittered, 'I realise perfectly. Now, will you tell me who gave you those scars?'

I wasn't sure why he deserved any answers, seeing as I was already staying on his request. But it seemed my mind had not fully caught up with itself and I answered without hesitation, 'Many different people.'

'The ones on your face?'

'Many different people.'

'That little bald patch on your chest?'

I gulped at the memory of that one. I normally didn't see it, when in wolf form my leg always obstructed my vision and in human form in was under my breast, so I had to physically go looking for it. 'A human. An ordinary, plain old human.' I sighed.

'How did a human do that?'

'Well, it wasn't so much the human as the shorn off shotgun that he pressed to my side before pulling the trigger. We can't heal gunshot powder burns very well.' I muttered.

Sam went to say something else but his thoughts suddenly went quiet before he could do so. We stopped just inside the line of trees. I could see the house through the dark of early night, the lights were on inside and orange light shone through the clean glass panes. The temptation to ask was too much and Sam's thoughts burst back into my head, 'The circle on your hip?'

I didn't mean to answer. I wanted to hold back the thought but it's hard to bite your tongue when your thoughts are automatically broadcasted to those around you. I knew that all the others that were in wolf form had heard Sam's question and my answer, and I heard the astonishment as they realised the implications of my answer.

'My father.'


	9. When They Were Fighting Newborns

_**Jared's POV**_

I watched in silent regret as Sue inspected Paul's face. The cut looked bad, the skin around the edges was inflamed and caused the wound to pull open. Paul was grunting and groaning like he'd been gored by a bull and every time Sue tried to touch any part of his face he flinched away, swearing at the pain around his mouth.

I felt like it was partly my fault. I was the one who fought to allow Gabriella to stay and now Paul was, potentially, permanently disfigured.

Paul was partly to blame. We had heard his comment about her parents and he should have known better; it wasn't like Paul had the perfect family. Actually, I was inclined to mostly blame Paul for it. I got that he was upset about his relationship with Rachel but his attitude towards Gabriella was borderline inexcusable.

"Sit still boy! You are acting like a child!" Sue grumbled as she tried to hold Paul's face still.

"Easy for you to say." Paul growled, his voice distorted by his inability to move his upper lip, "You haven't got a tear in your lip the size of the Grand Canyon." It took a lot for me to suppress a laugh at his modified voice. Paul must have noticed, "Shut up Jared!"

"Paul, I swear if you don't stop moving I'll get your pack mates to hold you down." Sue growled as she pulled Paul's face back around to look at her.

Paul sighed as he turned back to Sue and tried to stay still. She 'umm'ed and 'ahh'ed as she inspected the wound. "I'll have to flush it with alcohol and then stitch it up. Hopefully it'll heal up nicely in a few days."

"Great." Paul sighed as the front door swung open.

"That is fucking deranged!" I heard Collin gasp as he entered the house.

"It's what she said. You can ask Sam, he was there when she said it." Brady sounded like a teenage girl with juicy gossip, although his voice was much lower than any girl I knew.

"I- but why? What would his motivation be?" Collin nodded at me as he entered the kitchen.

"Who are you talking about?" I asked as Brady leant against the bench and Collin made his way to the fridge.

"Gabriella." Collin said simply.

"More her father than her." Brady sighed as he watched Sue prepare an alcohol wipe for Paul's injury.

I wasn't sure what the hell they were on about but I wanted to know, "I'm going to need more detail."

"Well, Sam was talking to Gabriella so of course everyone else was being real quiet." Brady started explaining, "I'd just phased back to tell Sam that Paul was here and I heard them talking, arguing really. About Sam's effectiveness as an Alpha. He told her she could leave, everything went silent for a moment and then she came back. Sam asked her about her scars and..." Brady paused for a moment, "she answered him. Vague answers but answers none the less. But then, then Sam asked about that one on her hip, the big circular one."

Brady paused again and everyone in the kitchen seemed to tense up. Sue was the first to say anything, "Well, Brady? Spit it out."

"Her father." Brady smiled.

"Her father what?" I asked, fairly sure I knew what her father had done but I wanted to be sure.

"He's the one who gave her that scar. You should have heard the reaction, everyone just went nuts. Gabriella went dead silent and everyone was... basically screaming at her for more information. Sam had to use the Alpha Voice to get everyone to shut up."

I was speechless. Of all the scenarios that I had come up with, none of them had involved her father. I couldn't think of a single reason why someone's father would do that to them, how any man could look at his flesh and blood and knowingly cause that sort of pain.

I looked at Sue, who had lost all the blood from her face, "How could he? Maybe she lied."

"I don't think so. It was like she hadn't meant to answer but the words had slipped out before she could stop them. She sounded disgusted too, like she didn't want to call him her father." Brady shivered.

We stayed silent for a few more moments. Even Paul looked astonished and I could tell that even with all the nasty things he'd said about her parents he'd never actually thought one of them would be so cruel.

The back door slammed, followed quickly by a second door opening and shutting. Gabriella's door.

We waited for Sam and he soon came into view. Emily, who had been sitting in the corner waiting to help Sue with the stitches, burst from her seat and ran to Sam; embracing him in a hug that would have knocked a normal human off their feet.

Sam hugged back for a moment before continuing towards the kitchen, Emily still clinging to his waist.

"Did he really? Was it her father?" Emily wept, tears welling in her dark eyes.

"Yes." Sam sighed, "I've asked Gabriella to tell us more and she is going to try."

"Well, I've got to stitch up Paul's lip and I think that maybe Billy and Quil should be here for this." Sue jabbered as she turned back to Paul, it was clear she was shaken by the revelation.

"Sue's right. Brady. Collin. I want you to go get Billy and Quil Sr, then I want you to go home. You both have school tomorrow." Sam's tone was low and droning, he was half lost in his own thoughts.

"That's not fair!" Brady whined.

"Oh, come on Sam..." Collin complained as he stepped away from the fridge.

"I wasn't suggesting, I was telling. Same goes for you Em. Maybe you should head over to Rachel's or Kim's, just for a little while." Sam looked lovingly down at Emily, who was still clutching his side.

She looked as if she were going to argue but when she looked into Sam's eyes her expression dropped, "Okay."

And she followed Brady and Collin out of the house.

_**Gabriella's POV**_

I paced around my bedroom. I had never told anyone what I was now contemplating telling these strangers. I couldn't help but wonder if it would do more harm than good.

My story wasn't exactly a pleasant one. I'd seen horror movies with less violence and terror than my life. In fact, my life was like one really bad movie. One whose makers were hoping would have enough gore to make it noteworthy and in so doing had skimped on the storyline.

Would they even believe me? It wasn't like I'd lied to them before but I hadn't been particularly forthcoming about everything either. If I had been I could just about guarantee that I wouldn't be here still. They'd have set their Haematologically Challenged friends on my trail, have them tear me to pieces for what I have potentially gotten them all into.

Paul bellowed from the front of the house and I felt a sickening guilt in my stomach. Not just for what I had done to him but also for what my presence was risking. Their ten man pack was nothing compared to what Stendahl could throw this way and it was entirely my fault.

I wasn't sure why this was worrying me so much now, seeing how last night I didn't give the whole thing two seconds of thought. It wasn't that I didn't think about what had happened, I guess I just hadn't thought about what might happen and now that I had...

I had to tell them. They had to be able to prepare themselves.

The door handle was ice cold under my palm but it wasn't going to stop me. If they sent me away then so be it, I'd leave their territory. Once outside of their borders they wouldn't be able to get rid of me, I'd stay and make sure that my presence had not alerted any suspicions.

The kitchen was almost quiet when I entered. There were two men that I didn't know and I did wonder who they were but figured it wasn't the main issue here. Paul was hunched over on the far side of the dining table, he was the one making noise. A pained whimpering that had the guilt bubbling in my stomach.

I couldn't take my eyes off him, "I'm sorry." I whispered but knew that he could hear me.

"Are you going to tell us?" Sam asked with a stern expression. I nodded and he pulled out a chair for me. I took it with shaking hands and pulled it back further so that I could look at everyone while I spoke, this was going to be difficult and I didn't want to have to keep twisting and turning while I did it.

"Well, it's a long story but I'll try to give it to you straight." I took a deep breath, "I'm the oldest child of Brenda and Ewan Butler. And I was born into a pack of shifters, I knew about them from day one. My dad was one, my grandfathers were too. I have shifter Uncles and cousins as well.

"I was always told by my parents that it was love at first sight. My mum was born into a Norwegian shifter family, who moved to Australia after she met my dad. But everyone knew that my dad had an anger issue." I heard several people snort at this and it irritated me, "Mum always said that after I was born... after I was born he got better. He was a different man."

"Clearly not that different considering what he did to you." Paul snapped.

"I'm getting to that." I growled before continuing, "When I was ten I found out that... my mum wasn't all that... honest." I didn't want to tell them this but if I didn't then they would definitely get the wrong idea, "Have you heard of a shifter called Gunvald Stendahl?"

Most of the people in the kitchen shook their heads. All except one.

"Yes." said the guy in the wheelchair, whose name I didn't know, "He came through here twenty-odd years ago. Big red wolf, right? He was a real smooth talker."

The others looked shocked until, "Oh, I remember him. Blew in one day, stuck around for the weekend, eating our food and flirting with the women. Monday morning we woke and he was gone." This time it was the other older guy that I didn't know.

"Sounds like him." I sighed. I looked around the group of expectant faces and then dropped my gaze, "He came around to my pack too. Three times. The first time he met my mother and the second time he came looking for me.

"Dad didn't like that. Dad didn't like Stendahl, none of the pack did. But my mother had insisted that he should stay and he should be treated nicely. It infuriated Dad, he got angry again and Mum kicked him out. It was only supposed to be a short term thing, until Stendahl left. But, instead of leaving, Stendahl moved into our backyard, him and his coyote henchmen.

"My younger sister, she blamed me. She told me that if I was half as good as I believed I was then I would leave and take Stendahl with me. But he wasn't really interested in me. He spent his days flirting with my_ married_ mother, they talked well into the night, every night. I could hear them from my bedroom.

"One afternoon Dad went to talk to Mum about Stendahl. I tried to stop him but... he found them in the backyard. They weren't really doing anything, just standing close together and talking. Dad lost it, he started screaming at Stendahl, telling him to leave before he was forced out. Stendahl just laughed.

"Then Mum started yelling at Dad, telling him that he needed to back off or Mum would leave him for good. Stendahl said something, I couldn't hear it but Dad could. He morphed and attacked Stendahl and..." I took another deep breath, "Mum got in the way.

"He didn't mean it. He was so angry and he was aiming for Stendahl."

Jared interrupted me, "He scarred her. Like Emily."

"No. He put her in the hospital, in a coma. Three days after she was admitted..." I had thought that I was over all this but it seemed like saying it and thinking it were two very different things and I could feel the tears welling, "Three days later, she died. Severe head trauma."

They were silent and I took it as an excuse to keep going, "Dad was devastated and... I know that he wouldn't have done it if he didn't think it was the only way but... he killed himself. Swan dive off the cliffs near the town. The feral dogs in the area scavenged his corpse before anyone realised that he wasn't within pack territory."

"He couldn't live without his imprint." the older man sighed and I cocked my head at him.

"What do you mean 'his imprint'?" I asked.

"Your mother and father imprinted, right?" the wheelchair guy asked.

"They may have but I don't know what imprinting is."

"How can you not know what imprinting is?" I shrugged at Sam's question.

"It's total, undeniable and unwavering devotion. Like true love but a hell of a lot stronger. Soul mates." Jared explained.

"I... I don't think so."

"Well, he killed himself because he killed her." Paul groaned from the far side of the table.

"I have never heard of imprinting and if it's as Jared described then it did not happen for my mum and dad."

"What makes you so certain?" Sue asked, her eyes went blank for a second and then lit up, she'd figured it out, "Why did Stendahl want you?"

I couldn't look at her when I answered this, "Because... Stendahl is my father. My biological father. He figured that meant he had a right to me, when I wouldn't go with him he got mad. When Stendahl gets mad, he gets creative."

"Because you wouldn't go with him he took a chunk out of you? What a lovely man." Sam growled.

"I'm not that surprised. There was something off about that guy." the man in the wheelchair murmured as he rested his forearms on the table.

"Quote, unquote 'he wanted something to remember me by'." I felt a lone tear roll down my cheek at the memory of him peeling the skin from my hip.

"How is that your fault? Your biological father being a psychopath, that is?" Paul asked and I was surprised to hear sincere concern in his statement.

"It's complicated." I sighed.

"No, Paul's right. It was wrong of your sister to blame you, when you had no choice in any of it." Sue smiled at me but it didn't calm me as she clearly hoped it would.

"I did have a choice." I groaned at the thought of telling them this much, "Stendahl wanted me to join him. He's older than he looks and he knew how rare female shifters were. He wanted to show off to everyone that he had a shifter daughter. He still does."

"What does that mean?" Sam asked in a low growl.

"Stendahl has been following me, on and off again for the last seven years. He's never gotten close to catching me but..." I couldn't bring myself to say it but I didn't need to.

"This is the first time you've ever actually stopped." the guy in the wheelchair sighed. "What's the worse that one shifter can do?"

I shivered and knew that I had to be honest, "He can decimate your pack and the humans in your town."

"How? He's just one shifter." Jared tried to laugh but it came out as a cough.

"He'll find a way. He always does."

"He always does?" Sam questioned.

"I didn't leave my pack on a whim." I looked up at Paul, "I was kicked out. After Stendahl's third visit, where he..." I gulped.

"Decimated your pack and humans." the non-wheelchair-bound man said with a soft smile.

"He killed thirty-five shifters and two hundred and nineteen humans in a single night. Him and his makeshift vampire army."


	10. Death Wish

_**Gabriella's POV**_

"So, what do we do?" Sam asked with magnificent presence.

"The best course of action would be for me to leave." now that the topic was off my past I felt that I had some control back and was intent on exercising some of it.

"I don't think so." said the guy in the wheelchair.

"What would you know about it?" I snapped, knowing that it was inappropriate and rude but more concerned by the idea that this pack was sacrificing so much for someone they didn't know. And shouldn't trust.

"Gabriella, this is Billy Black and that's Quil Ateara Senior. They're the elders of our tribe." Jared hissed through his teeth.

I suddenly felt very disrespectful, "I am very sorry but the Stendahl you know is not the Stendahl that will be coming here. He is dangerous and you need to stop him before he gets to your borders."

"If he knows that you're here he will come regardless. And if he's willing to take a chunk out of his child then I'm sure he wouldn't think twice about killing us to prove a point." Quil Sr. smiled at me as if urging me to reconsider.

"That's just it, I can lead him away. He lives in wolf form unless he is with another pack so he'll come here through Canada, that's how I got here."

"What makes you think you can coax him away?" Paul spat and then grabbed at his face.

"Paul's right, if he's been having trouble tracking you then what makes you think he'll be able to just pick up your scent?" Sam argued.

"It's because he can't hold my track that I know I can lead him away." I looked to Jared, "You have the best eyesight, right?" he nodded, "You can see things at a distance and up close, right?"

Again he nodded, "But what's that got to do with anything?"

"I'm hard to follow, I always was. Even when someone has me in sight I can still get away, even though I'm not fast. Because I know how to travel without leaving a trail doesn't mean I can't leave one if I want. Stendahl is looking for me and he's a lazy coward, he'll choose the easiest option every time."

"So you lead him away and what? Fight him one on one?" Billy queried.

"Not necessarily. If I lead him far enough and for long enough then he won't be able to follow my scent back here. You'll be safe and I know I can keep out of his reach." I gulped. I didn't want to have to lead him away, running from him was a pain so the idea of purposefully catching his attention wasn't all that appealing.

"But we're not going anywhere." Quil Sr. started explaining, "Just because your scent doesn't lead back here doesn't mean that he won't come back to get information from us."

"Sam can use his Alpha Voice. Demand that no one talk about me, to anyone, ever. Stendahl won't know that I was here for sure."

"If he's as ruthless as you say then he'll still come here and when no one gives him answers he'll kill us all. I know you think leaving is the right thing but I strongly disagree." Billy was staring at me, for a second I thought he was trying to stare me down, make me submit.

"It'll give you time to prepare yourselves in case he comes back." I added, grasping for reasons why they should let me go.

"Time doesn't help if we don't know what we're preparing for. If Stendahl knows that you're here, then the best thing you can do is stay and teach us what you know." Billy said sensibly, "Once we've learnt everything you have to teach and Stendahl still isn't here then you can leave."

"It doesn't matter how much I teach you." I sighed, defeated.

"What does that mean?" Sam growled.

"You have ten wolves. Ten! I had a pack of thirty-eight and he found enough vampires, in Australia, to wipe them out. There'd be more vampires in a single Canadian province than in the whole of Australia's Eastern Coast. Do you really think he can't find the numbers to take you out?" I didn't want to sound negative but I knew what was coming, they shouldn't be asking me to stay.

"Maybe he will but we can't be expected to win a fight if we're running in blind." Sam stood up as if to make his dominance more explicit, "Billy is right. You need to teach us what you know, then if you want to you can leave."

I stared at Sam for a few moments, evaluating his tenacity. When he wouldn't look away, wouldn't even blink, I gave in. Sighing I looked down at the tiles of the kitchen, this was a bad idea.

"I'm sure Jacob and his pack will help. Maybe the Cullens too." Billy sounded as unimpressed to say the name as I was to hear it.

I wanted to say something, preferably something positive, but I was too caught up in the stupidity of this whole thing to actually think of something to say. After finding out that I was essentially cursed, they still wanted me around. They must have a death wish.

If they do, it will be fulfilled soon.

_**Billy's POV**_

"Do you really think letting her stay is the best idea?" Jared mumbled a few moments after Gabriella had stormed from the kitchen and the house.

"What?" Paul gasped, "It was your idea to have her stay in the first place."

"I know but maybe she's right. Maybe the only way to keep this Stendahl away from our town is to have her lead him away."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" Paul was oddly annoyed by Jared's comment. Everyone knew that Paul didn't like Gabriella and it was strange for him to be defending her presence, "She's potentially bringing war down on us and you want to give her a get out of jail free card. The least she can do is be the first to die." That sounded more like Paul.

"Paul!" Sue gasped, "How could you wish death on another person like that?"

"I don't _want_ her to die, I just want her gone. Anyway, if he's so brilliant than her survival was a fluke, and maybe if she was the first to go then he'd stop." Paul tried to justify his words.

"Unlikely." I couldn't bite my tongue anymore, "I remember Stendahl. I remember him arguing with Quil, the fourth that is, about getting his share of a meal. Stendahl phased right in front of Quil, Harry and myself just to threaten us. That man will not stop just because Gabriella is dead. And if he's after her because she's his daughter than he may become irate if she dies."

"Irate? The guy carved a chunk out of his daughter. I doubt he'd give a shit if she died." Paul groaned, his voice becoming slurred and hoarse. The pain must be taking its toll.

"As Gabriella said, he killed thirty-eight shifters because she wouldn't go with him last time. Her dying is far more perpetual than her saying no, he'd lose it if she died." Old Quil sighed, "I thought all this fighting would be over."

"We can blame the Cullens for that." Paul mumbled and I agreed.

If it weren't for the Cullens then there would be no pack to have stopped Gabriella and no new risk to face. If it weren't for the Cullens, Gabriella would have moved through Washington without a second thought and everyone would be able to sleep easy tonight.

"Well, we'll just have to deal with it. What's happened has happened and we need to accept that. Gabriella will teach us what she knows of Stendahl and we will fight tooth and nail against him. Billy, will you ask Jacob if he and the Cullens would help? We will need all the numbers we can get." Sam's deep voice boomed around the room.

I was impressed by how Sam was handling this. There was no sign of fear, no anxiety. Just determination to do what was right, to protect the tribe. That was what they were for and Sam was going to make the ancestors proud.

"Of course. I'll call him when I get home." I checked my watch for the time, 8:00. At least it wasn't the middle of the night.

"How does a father do that?" Everyone jolted around to the kitchen door to find a meek looking Kim standing in the hall, "How do you destroy a life that you created?"

Jared flew from his chair and embraced Kim in a powerful hug. He hushed her as he rocked back and forth, trying to calm her down. It didn't work and she started to cry, her body heaving with the force of her sobs. Without a second word to any of us, Jared led Kim from the house and I heard them walk away.

"It is horrible to think there are people like that out there." Old Quil looked at me and I knew we were sharing the same thought.

This was our fault. We'd known there was something wrong with that man, something poisonous. We'd let him walk through this town and into the life of this poor young girl. We should have tried to hold him back, should have seen the warnings and stopped him, by any means necessary. But then again, if we'd done that Gabriella would never have been born. Which was better? Never being born or losing everything your loved?

All of a sudden the stories that I'd heard from the pack, the description of the ferocity with which she fought and the anger that she lived with, it all made sense. It was all too clear that this was not the girl that she should have been.

"I'll go call Jake." I announced as I wheeled myself to the door.

"I'll go with you." Sue sighed as she got up and took a hold of the grips on my chair, "I'll come look at that tomorrow. Don't play with it and don't phase, you'll rip the stitches out."

We left the house in silence. The walk back to mine was much the same. There was nothing that we could say, nothing that would help anyway.

Once I was home I went straight to the living room and the phone. I dialled Jake's number just to be told by Leah that he was in the Cullens'. I had their number next to the phone because I didn't want to memorise it.

The phone had barely rung once when it was answered, "Cullen residence, this is Esme."

"Oh, hello Esmé." I said, trying to be as polite as I could, "It's William Black, I was wondering if my son was there."

"Hello, William. He is. I'll just get him for you." Esmé chirped and then her voice sounded far off, "It's your father, it sounds serious."

"Thank-you." I heard Jake say before he took the phone and asked cautiously, "Hey, Dad. What's going on?"

I explained everything as best I could over the phone. Focusing on the important stuff like how Gabriella was staying because there was the chance a psychotic shifter was coming to kill her and anyone trying to help her.

"So, Sam and I were wondering if you could help us out. Lessons are starting tomorrow morning."

"Dad, you don't even need to ask. Of course we're going to help, but Embry's in Makah territory at the moment. Oh, and the Cullens are going to help out too." Jake sounded encouraged but uneasy, "What time in the morning?"

"Just after sun up, in the forests east of the town. Brady and Philip will meet you at the border."

"Okay, we'll be there."

"Thank-you, Jake. I know that you have an issue with Gabriella, I'm glad you can see past that."

"Shut up, Emmett, I was going to ask anyway." Jake must have been holding the receiver from his mouth because his voice was slightly muffled. But soon he was talking into the receiver again, "What about Gabriella? Will she be able to tolerate the Cullens?"

"She understands, better than us, how serious this is. I doubt she'll start another fight with them."

"She better not, because she can't blame them for what some Aussie vamps did to her."

"Jake!" I growled, "Her dislike for vampires is not so much a voluntary choice as it is a result of horrendous treatment. I'd say she is scared of them and you know that fears can be hard to control."

Jake sighed, "I guess so. Tell Sam we'll be there tomorrow. I'll call by afterwards to see you."

"Okay, Jake. Remember to listen to what she has to say. She knows Stendahl better than any of us."

"Okay, Dad. See you tomorrow." Jake sighed as he hung up the phone.

_**Authors Note:**_

**I**** just realised that, somehow, not all of Chapter 6: Irrational loaded. I have updated this chapter so if you read Chapter 6 before 28.04.2012 you may want to just pop back and read the part that's from Sam's Point of Veiw. There's a little bit about how the pack is feeling about their new 'member'.**


	11. Wolves and Wusses

_**Gabriella's POV**_

It was early morning and I was waiting, rather impatiently, for the suckers and their Suckers. I was sickened by the thought that shifters could live in such proximity to those disgusting parasites. In my pack we had a name for vampire sympathisers, pigeons. And I had never met a worse pigeon than Jacob Black.

Jared had spent the morning trying to explain Imprinting to me in more detail and had mentioned that Jacob had imprinted of a vampire half breed. I couldn't believe someone could be so out of sync with nature, but I came to the conclusion that it was not his fault. It seemed that the Bella girl was the cause of it all, what with her initial suicidal attraction to one of the vampires. The whole thing sounded bizarre and unnerving.

I smelt them before they came into view, Brady and Philip had collected them from the border and the wind was blowing their scent up to us. Sam had made me swear that I would tolerate their presence because it was vital for the survival of their pack and more importantly the Quileute tribe. Now that I could smell them I wasn't sure if I could hold up my end of the deal.

Sam came up beside me, 'Remember Gabriella. They're here to help.'

I could feel everyone's tension and I felt bad for causing it. They were worried that I would snap and do something dangerous. I could see the images that flashed into everyone's minds of what I might do if one of the Cullens said or did something that I didn't like.

My favourite one was of my crushing the skull of the dark haired, bear-like mosquito. I had momentarily dwelled on that thought and Sam had used his Alpha Voice to stop me from thinking about any thoughts like that in detail.

It seemed that his Alpha commands did work on me if I didn't fight them and I felt a strange comfort in that. I wasn't an Alpha, and I doubted that I could ever handle being one. Caring for myself was easy, that came naturally, but caring for others, having to decide what to do for others... that I could never do. Having an Alpha around always soothed me, whether it was Wayne or Jack, from my old pack, or it seemed, Sam from this one.

'There here.' Jared thought anxiously as he stared south amongst the trees.

I couldn't see anything but it didn't take long for Brady and Philip to skid to a halt in the middle of the clearing while Jacob's pack and the vampires stopped just within the tree line.

'You can come in further. Guys, fall back.' Sam thought the final bit in the direction of his pack.

It was strange only hearing half the conversation between Sam and Jacob. I wondered if I could still hear Jacob, if I tried hard enough.

'...if she does anything... we can't be held respons...' Jacob's voice came in snippets, it seemed that Alpha commands weren't the only thing I could interrupt.

'Stop it, Gabriella.' Sam growled, 'She's safe. If she gets upset we'll be the first to know and we'll warn you.'

"Well, that's all nice but shouldn't we get started already?" the bronze haired male vampire said. I remembered him from my first meeting with the two packs and the coven, he could read minds and I found it very disconcerting.

'I'm ready when you are.' I thought steadily, trying desperately not to sound as upset as I was by the presence of the leeches.

"We're ready." the mind-reading vamp smiled.

My stomach churned.

"My name's Edward. This is Bella, Esmé, Carlisle, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett." he said as he pointed out all the vampires, although I didn't care what their names were.

I growled at Emmett, thinking of how he grabbed my tail.

'Gabriella.' Sam said in a low warning tone.

'Fine. The first thing you need to know,' I could hear Edward repeating everything I said in a low tone, it irritated me, 'is that Stendahl won't be so careless as to use newborns. He likes to keep a low profile and newborns are too unruly. If he brings vampires they will be old vampires, ones with age and experience behind them.

'The trick with any fight is to be flexible and this is never as important as when you are fighting a Vein Junkie...'

'Gabriella.' Sam warned again.

I continued without hesitation, if he wanted me to keep my cool then he'd have to let me express my displeasure somehow, 'Be open to anything and willing to take your time. Quick kills are expected kills. Take out the arms before going for the neck. Break the legs before going for arms.

'Always, ALWAYS' Brady jumped at how loud I said the second always, 'be willing to make a trivial attack. Not every bite needs to be a winning shot.'

'Unfortunately, Stendahl won't just bring vampires. He's as cunning as a shithouse rat and will enlist whatever and whoever he thinks will throw you the most. This includes other shifters and even humans. You need to be ready to kill whatever threatens you, and I can guarantee that he will bring at least one human.'

"Humans? Humans in a fight against shifters and vampires? I thought you said he was smart." the blonde that was introduced as Rosalie snapped.

I growled at her and my hackles raised.

'Gabriella.' Sam had to physically get between me and Rosalie to stop my wild imagination from envisioning her brutal death.

"It is logical." said the one introduced as Carlisle, "If Stendahl knows of the treaty it would be a very intelligent move. We wouldn't be able to attack the humans and the wolves would be conflicted in attacking them too."

'If you think it's going to be an issue I'll take out the fucking cockroaches.' I growled and everyone looked shocked, 'I have taken no oath to protect the humans around here and I will not be shot by another one. Bullet wounds are bitches to endure.'

'I have a better idea. Any humans we round up. They're human so they can be contained.' Jared suggested.

"That can be discussed later, we want to know what's the difference between killing vampires and killing shifters." Edward said loudly to disrupt the growing conversation within Sam's pack.

'It's an entirely different method of fighting. Vampires you don't want to go straight for the kill, you want to take them apart, bit by bit before you go for the kill.

'Shifters are harder because any small injury you cause will heal in a few moments. Break the skin and you have about five seconds. Pull a muscle and you've got ten seconds. Break a bone and you've got maybe sixty seconds, two minutes if you're lucky. The deeper the wound the longer you'll get. Dislocations are hard but they're worth it because they won't heal until they are relocated.'

"And the kill?" Alice, the pixy-like vampire, asked.

'Break the neck or crush the skull. Tearing the throat open will work as well but that's why we have thick fur around our neck, so it'll be hard to do.'

"I thought shifters had extra hard bones, how easy is it to crush a shifter's skull?" Bella wondered aloud. I thought of her being human and 'falling in love' with a vampire and it made me shiver.

'It'll probably take two Glitter Monkeys to do it, I can only go off what I saw the ones that killed my pack do. I can't believe I'm telling this to Exiled Cadavers. It's like the police telling criminals how not to get caught.' I sighed, 'The tail. Grab them by the tail and have someone else snap their neck, it's the most effective way.'

"Okay, so are we going to get some practice in?" Jasper asked and as he spoke I felt myself calm down, physically at least. I may have looked calm but inside my anger was rising.

'Certainly. Oh, and never phase during a fight. If you're injured it can make the injury worse, if you haven't incapacitated the enemies around you enough then they'll kill you mid-phase.'

I watched as shifters paired up and started practicing their moves, while the vampires stood opposite me and observed as well. It was frustrating watching them because none of them actually wanted to hurt anyone, which I understood but knew it wouldn't help them in the long run. They wouldn't know if they were good enough until the real thing started, if it started, because there wasn't a real threat here.

It didn't matter, Stendahl would come with an army the size of a small European country and we'd all be wiped out regardless of how much practice they got.

After the shifters had just about worn themselves out the leeches had a go. They fought against Sam, Jared, Jacob and – surprisingly – Seth, because they were the most proficient fighters amongst the shifters. I wasn't sure whether the vampires were holding back or just generally weak because they barely trumped the wolves they fought against.

'Enough!' I yelled and barked at the vampires so they'd get the point without needing a translation, 'This is stupid, none of you are even fucking trying. Do you want to die?'

"What are we supposed to do?" Edward complained, "If we hurt any of the pack then we will break the treaty."

'Screw the fucking treaty! You're just a wuss. Everyone stand back, choose your best fighter and I'll show you how this works.' I normally wouldn't have implied that I could beat a vampire but the anger had been building and I was desperate for some sort of release.

The four wolves stepped back into line with their respective packs. All but one vampire fell out too, leaving Jasper standing alone in the ring of supernatural beasts. He smiled slyly at me and I lowered my head to growl at him and size him up.

"She's questioning your experience." Edward laughed.

"I was responsible for a newborn army. I know how to fight." he finished with a hiss and my skin rippled with frustration.

I could feel my hackles raised high. In comparison to most wolves thin strip of hackling skin between their shoulder blades, I had surprisingly large hackles that stretched my entire back from halfway down my neck to the base of my tail, and were generally wider than that of other canines.

We stared down each other for a few more moments, neither of us wanting to be the first to make a move.

"Just attack her already." Emmett roared from the sidelines.

'He's right, Gabriella. Just go for it.' one of the younger wolves urged. I ignored him.

"Are you going to make a move or just keep circling me?" Jasper asked with a smile.

I snapped my jaws at him but made no added attempt to attack him.

"Someone needs to do some-" Bella squealed mid-sentence as I lunged at Jasper.

He struck out to knock me sideways and although his blow hit I positioned my hind legs to stop myself from sliding away from him and lunged again. He tried to grab me around my neck and I snapped at his leg, catching it between my jaws.

'Right leg gone.' I thought and I fought with myself to release his leg and jump away from him.

He looked stunned for a moment but recomposed himself. He ran at me and I knew that I couldn't out run him, or even match his speed, so I stood my ground. A few seconds later he was on my back, his arms wrapped around my throat. I spun promptly and his legs slipped off my back, my jaws clasped around his ankles and I pulled him off my back. It took all my strength not to rip his feet off.

The instant he hit the ground he was on his feet and aiming at me again. He jumped forward and wrapped his legs around my muzzle, his cold body pressed against the top of my head as he reached to enfold my neck between his arms. I swung my head and pinned him between my skull and the trunk of a nearby pine tree. The force was so great that the tree creaked and broke, wolves and vampires scampered out of the way of the toppling pine.

Jasper's grip lessened momentarily and I was able to release my muzzle and catch his left leg in my jaws. I held onto him as I reared up and pushed against him with my forepaws. He may have lost his hold on my muzzle but he still had a good grip on my neck. I started to fall head first to the forest floor but I knew as long as his body was underneath me he would take a small blow.

I felt his chest compress as he hit the ground and several of Sam's pack cheered me on. I didn't like having them in my head at the moment.

Jasper wriggled out from under me and disappeared. I located him again, standing a few metres from me with a severe grimace on his face. I charged at him, aiming for his left arm. He side stepped as expected and lunged for my tail. I threw my shoulders towards my hips and landed on top of Jasper, he released my tail.

I tried to get to my feet as fast as possible but Jasper was faster and he was on my back again before I was fully upright. His hands grabbed my tail, about thirty centimetres apart, and wretched. I head the snap half a second before I felt the pain and I let out a short howl to discharge the edge of the pain.

I curled in on myself again, expecting Jasper to try and jump off the other side of me. He didn't and I knew he didn't do it because he thought I wouldn't be able to touch him. He was partly right, I couldn't reach any part of him that was positioned above my hips but his hands were still gripping my tail. I didn't think of the pain I was about to feel as I snapped at my tail, catching it and both of Jasper's hands in the process.

When I let go Jasper disappeared again.

I straightened up and barked once at Jasper. It was not often that wolves bark and it was strange doing it so much in one day, but if I didn't make noise than I wouldn't be able to hold back the pain that I knew was welling just outside of my conscious thought.

Jasper stepped forward. He was toe to toe with me, so to say, and smiling. He shouldn't be smiling, this wasn't a game. I wondered if he was still holding back, because if he was then I was screwed. It had been a while since I'd faced a vampire with this much talent.

I went for it, knowing he was most likely going to move out of the way at the last second. He didn't move. Instead he just put his hands up to catch either side of my face and hold my jaw millimetres from his shoulder. I snapped at him not actually intending to catch his flesh but hoping that using my muscles would dislodge his hands from my cheeks.

I could smell him, very clearly, the putrid, sickening smell that was walking death. The burn in my nostrils had two effects. One was to make me want to back down, to pull away from him and seek out fresh air. The other was the drive myself forward and grab a hold of his shoulder, and then shake my head with as much ferocity as possible and hope his whole arm fell off.

I drove forward. But Jasper moved with my attack, so I couldn't get my teeth any closer. Again I drove forward, again he moved back. I lashed out with my left paw as I reared slightly and bore down on him. With his legs gone from under him he fell and as my full weight pushed down on him his arms buckled, just enough.

The feel of his throat between my jaws, of his cold marble flesh against my hot tongue, was indescribably delicious. I wanted nothing more than to close my jaws with as much force as I could muster. To feel his hard flesh crumbled between my teeth would make my day; my month; my year. Oh how I wanted to feel that glorious liberation.

'STOP!' Sam roared in my head and my concentration broke.


	12. They Call It Patrolling

_**Gabriella's POV**_

Sam wasn't very happy with me.

I didn't really hurt Jasper. He had a few scratches that vampires normally didn't get, a few dints to go with them. But he kept his head and walked away in close to one piece; I was pretty sure there was some vampire dust in that little clearing that weren't there before our fight.

Still, Sam had sent me back to his place so that he could talk to Jacob.

Most of the pack had gone with me. Not because I needed guarding but because of Sam required to for an Alpha to Alpha talk.

Jared walked beside me, his thoughts happy as usual. I wondered how one wolf could be so damn happy all the freaking time. He'd been in my head for less than forty-eight hours and I wanted to scream at him for all his happiness.

It's kind of sad. That happiness would make me angry. I used to be happy, I know I did. Occasionally I would fall back into happiness and it would take me over like the clock was wound back fifteen years and everything was perfect and joyful. Jared had seen one of those occasions too and he thought about it a little too much for my liking.

Okay, two times in two days may not sound like much but it wasn't a side that I liked to be reminded of; because somehow, being reminded that I was happy sometimes, also reminded me that I was normally miserable and angry.

We were almost back at the town and we stopped so that we could all morph back. I morphed last because I was more than a little apprehensive.

Shifters hated attacks on their tails because tail attacks hurt like a mother- they hurt a lot. So much so that morphing was damn near agonizing. I'd seen wolves that had accidently hurt their tails, pass out from the pain of morphing into human form again. It had something to do with the fact that as humans we didn't have tails but I didn't care why, I just knew that it would.

Thankfully the injury had been clean and was healing nicely. But it wasn't healing fast enough to be good now for me to morph back.

"Hurry up, Gabriella." Jared bubbled as he and a few other waited for me to morph, "We'll look away if you want." I cocked my head sarcastically at the stupid suggestion, "Okay, we'll stand and watch intently."

I snapped my jaws, in the least threatening way possible, and Jared laughed as he turned his back to me. Because I needed two items of clothing, at least, I had stashed my clothes neatly at the foot of the tree that we now stood by.

I took a deep breath and morphed.

The pain wasn't as bad as it had been when I'd morphed with a bad hip but it was still considerable. By the end of the morph I was crouched on the ground and panting.

"Fuck." I sighed as I snatched up my clothes and pulled them on.

"Are you okay?" Jared asked as he turned to check I was dressed, which I was.

"Fine. Did I tell you why you don't want a tail injury?" I asked as I pushed past the remaining guys to make my way to Sam's.

"No, why?" Brady bubbled as he followed behind me.

I went to answer but was cut off before even starting, "Because they affect every movement you make and phasing kills with an injured tail."

I turned around to see Paul was part of the group. This surprised me but I smiled and continued to Sam's without saying anything.

"So, where did you learn to fight like that?" Brady asked as he stepped into line with me.

"I'm just gifted is all." I laughed, "You know how Jared can see really well?" Brady nodded, "Well, I can fight really well."

"I thought your talent was not being able to be followed." Paul questioned.

"Well, it is but so is fighting. My Dad and Wayne, my old Alpha, they said my talent was 'Fight or Flight'. I can stand and fight or I can turn tail and run, either way I tend to get out of the tricky situations."

"Is that how you got away from Stendahl?"

"Paul!" Jared gasped.

"No." I sighed, "Stendahl let me go."

"What?" Jared was more shocked at that then at Paul's blatant comment, "Why would he do that?"

"Stendahl is a sadist. He likes to cause other's pain, but he wanted me to join him. He didn't want to kill me." I explained. The way I saw it was this shit was going to come out sooner or later so I was going to get it over and done with when the opportunities arose.

We reached the back door and waltzed into the house. It was strange how all of a sudden I felt like a member of the pack. I wasn't too thrilled about being here, if I had my way I wouldn't be, but it was nice to not be running. Mainly because I knew that in a few weeks I would be running again, so I was going to make the most of not running.

As if he could read my mind Jared suddenly spoke up, "Are you still considering leaving?"

"I'm not considering it. I'm planning on it. I figure that in a couple of weeks I'll head north and start laying the trail to lead him east. I'll go the long way around Canada and then cross over to Asia via Alaska." I sat down at the table and the other pulled up chairs of their own.

"What if Stendahl catches up with you?" Brady asked as he stared intently at me.

"Well... I'll..." I had yet to actually make up my mind on what I'd do. Part of me wanted to keep running, always keep running because as long as he was behind me, following me, then everyone was safe. The other part wanted to fight him, but that would risk losing and I didn't know how Stendahl would take it if he killed me. If I died he may come back here looking for revenge, "I'll cross that bridge when I get to it."

"How will we know if Stendahl is going to come here?" Paul sounded morose as he asked and I couldn't help but look at the bandage over his upper lip.

"He'll send scouts out first. To find out how many of you there are, how many can and will fight. But he'll make sure you aren't expecting the attack when he finally does it."

Philip was watching Paul and then he turned suddenly towards me, "How come Paul's lip hasn't healed? I thought you said things heal within a few minutes on shifters."

I looked down at my hands, "I think it's got to do with the Fight or Flight thing but I'm not sure. When I'm angry the injuries I can inflict take longer to heal. Although it's a little bit of a double edged sword because I can't heal injuries very well myself." I didn't want to tell them about the vampire venom that was flushed through my cuts because of the chance that would lead to more questions about what happened. I didn't want to go into detail until I had to, until I was about to leave.

At that moment Sam walked into the kitchen, "Okay, from now on we'll be gathering in the morning for more practice. And we are going to be increasing patrols; we want to be on top of any strangers that are coming too close. Gabriella, your first patrol will be with Jared tonight."

"What?" Paul spat.

"Do you have a problem with that?" Sam growled, "She's part of the pack so she can start acting like it."

"But she's going to be leaving in a few weeks." Brady seemed a little confused too.

"I don't care. Until she leaves she is part of this pack and she will act as such." Sam went to turn away but stopped, "Oh, and Jasper's willing to concede that you would have one if that was a real fight."

I didn't need Sam telling me that. If I had have removed his right leg in the beginning it would have dramatically affected his ability to perform any of the following attacks.

Sam had disappeared from sight but he called out from where ever he was, "Paul is on Guard Duties now. Everyone else has things to do, like patrolling."

Patrolling was nothing new to me but this pack did it differently to how my old pack did.

In my old pack we focused on the township, keeping it securely nestled in a heavily scent-marked ring. Then a few kilometres out was another ring, scent-marked but not quite as heavily. And a few kilometres after that was another ring. And another and another. Each ring less strongly marked than the one before. They were patrolled in a similar way, more patrols on the rings closest to the town, less on the ones further out.

Sam's pack had two different sorts of patrols. One which focused on the outer limits of their territory and one that was a more general walk around the territory in any fashion that the patroller wanted. I guessed it must work for them because according to Jared no one had ever made it undetected through their territory.

Jared led me around the extremities of their territory, saying that it was best that I knew this line before I started wandering around the interior.

Jared was a friendly wolf, always eager to make a bet on something and always willing to accept defeat when he lost said bet. Unfortunately he was also a little bit of a busy bodied and was confident that I would come to like Paul if I gave him a chance.

I doubted this very much. This afternoon he had been better than he had been the entire time I'd been here but he was still very standoffish towards me. Not that I blamed him. I was still a stranger and I tore open his face. But there was something in him that I recognised from myself, something that I didn't like, not in me and not in him and I just couldn't like someone like that. He was angry at the world.

Now, anger I understand, when it is directed and logical. But anger like what we have, it's aimed at everything and it doesn't respond to logic.

Paul had never really done anything to me but I would like nothing more than for that cut I'd given him to scar and be forever present on his pretty boy face. When I had done nothing to Paul he had detested me simply for existing but once I ripped open his lip he seemed less concerned with me. It was illogical.

And to put us together for too long was determined to be a volatile mix.

After patrol I went to my room to go to bed, Paul was lounging on my bed as he had the morning shift of my guard. I know it sounded like he was doing a lot of guarding but since Sue had forbidden him from morphing he couldn't do patrols and he was making up for it by almost always being on guard duty. At least when he was on guard duty we didn't have to talk.

I paid no attention to him as I got ready for bed although I couldn't help but notice that he looked away when I got undressed so as to morph without destroying the clothes that Emily collected and nowadays kindly washed for me.


	13. Bring Back The Treaty

_**Gabriella's POV**_

The next morning played out much like the one before only I didn't get into any big fight at the end. There was a new arrival today though.

Renesmee.

Just the sight of her made me queasy but the sight of Jacob's treatment of her made me feel almost physically sick. How he could see past the pale skin and blood lust, I would never understand. Several times Sam had to reprimand me for my hateful thoughts towards her, apparently the mind-reader was her father and he didn't appreciate my disgust.

I would have been more than happy to take on the telepath if he wanted to sort this out himself, but as I'd said yesterday he was a wuss. He just got more and more anxious as time went on, never once trying to stop me by any means greater than hissing and spitting. After a while his reaction, which had been entertaining to begin with, was becoming boring and I stopped with the over the top dramatic death scenes.

I settled on a more realistic one, in which poor little Renesmee was not fast enough to shield off my attacks and I was able to crush her-

'GABRIELLA! For fuck's sake we are supposed to be working with the Cullens not pushing them away. And you are not helping your pack mates by envisioning such things so stop it. _Now_!' Sam bellowed in my head and everyone, even the vampires froze in shock.

Sam wasn't just yelling at me but was standing in front of me in an openly aggressive stance. His lips pulled up and back, his ears erect and his tail held high. Never had Sam been so blatantly dominant towards me and a big part of me wanted to aim at his throat for it.

A sudden calm washed over the two of us and I knew that it was Jasper doing it.

I growled at him as he started to speak, "Why not use her thoughts? Her memories? Then you'll know what she knows."

'No! It's bad enough having you hearing what I'm thinking; I'm not going to have you invading my memories as well.' I thought as aggressively as Sam had just stood.

"Jasper's right." the telepath crooned, he was liking the fact that I wasn't liking this idea, "You'd be stupid not to use a gift like that. If you do that than all the wolves would be trained and you would be able to leave."

'No. I'd rather stay for a few weeks than have you tarnishing my past.'

'Us tarnish your past? I'm pretty sure Stendahl's already tarnished it.' Paul thought bitterly. I wasn't sure whether the bitterness was aimed at me or was due to the images I'd just been putting into everyone's heads.

'They both have a point. It would be incredibly helpful.' Jared piped up.

'No! Why can't you get it through your heads that that shit is not going to happen? Especially not on the request of a filthy Emo Wannabe!'

'They're right, getting a look at your memories will be an immeasurable help.' Sam's deep voice boomed clearly in my head.

'There are other ways.' I growled back, my hackles raising again.

'You will perform this obligation.' I knew that tone, the official Alpha command.

I tried to ignore him. I tried really hard.

_A small fluffy puppy bounced and chortled before me, his white mass spotted with patches of red brindle that were slapped across his back in a haphazard pattern. Both eyes and ears were covered by the same brindle with a thick white streak dividing the two sides. His large puppy eyes bubbled with excitement as he tried to coax me to play with him._

_I reached towards him, with a thin pale human hand. He turned and ran away; disappearing amongst the trees._

_I leant back against a tree with a feeling of heavy disappointment; I closed my eyes to the scene before me and cursed myself for scaring away such a cute puppy._

_A bark made my eyes shoot open to find another puppy standing before me. He was older than the first, his body bigger and his legs decidedly overgrown. His massive paws looked cumbersome and unruly on the end of his long limbs but he stood before me with the same cheerful look as the puppy before him. Even their markings seemed to match, although this dog's muzzle was smudged with thick black marks that bordered the brindle patches, and the brindle itself had less definition than the younger puppy's had._

_They weren't two different puppies, but one puppy many months apart._

_I stumbled to my feet to be closer to the large canine. His bark was young and high pitched, and it bounced around the clearing as if there were other dogs replying in kind. He moved to encourage a game of chase and I gave in to his request, chasing him towards the trees that the younger version of him had vanished behind._

_I chased him for a while, although I never got even close to catching up to him. His gangly legs and hefty paws did not hinder his movements, although he did not look particularly graceful in executing them._

_He weaved behind a tree and was gone._

_I stumbled to a stop in the wake of his disappearance. My heart ached at his loss and I felt the forest pressing in on me again. The trees were larger now, the shadows darker. Everything was suddenly threatening and I found myself falling to the ground and curling into myself._

_The foetal position became uncomfortable and as I moved to ease the awkward aches I found my pale skin being replaced by coarse fur and my hands shifting and morphing into narrow paws. My heart raced and my mind hesitated to acknowledge what was happening. The fear of the threatening environment was replaced by fear of my own body and of my mind. This wasn't right._

_A soft heated mass pressed against my now furry side and long wet tongue licked my check in a comforting gesture. I looked at my attendant to find a large dog watching me with expressive brown eyes. I smiled at the sight of him and wished to cry into his thick woolly coat, but the tears never came so I pressed my now elongated face into his white mane._

_Warmth washed over me. In the dark and disconcerting forest that pressed in around me, I was suddenly comfortable. I felt the love from this canine companion, felt his desire to stand beside me and keep me safe and I reciprocated the feelings. I adored this dog and I cherished this moment._

_A devastatingly loud and pained yelp ripped through the air._

I shook my head and stepped back from the pack. It was not the memories they'd expected and for that I was thankful, but it still wasn't a memory, or more precisely a collection of memories, that I wanted them to see.

I turned and ran, watching the forest pass me as a blur.

Fury was building fast and my head ached with the annoyance of having actually conceded to Sam's stupid command. My only solace was that that memory was not what they wanted and would not help them any. Still, I was furious with myself for letting them see it, for giving in the Sam.

It was an easy decision to make; to decide to leave. I'd been planning it and knew what I'd do, where I'd go. They couldn't stop me. If they knew what was good for them they wouldn't stop me. I could be off their territory in about two minutes, in Canada within the hour, if I took the right course. I could be alone again, just the way I like it and I could go where I want, when I want.

Maybe I'd go back to Australia. I haven't been there in the last five years and it would be nice to see it again. The yellow sand beaches, the dry eucalypt forests. I'd yet to find another place in the world quite like it.

I skidded to a stop in front of nine vampires.

"They don't want you to go." said the pixy-like vampire.

I growled at her. I didn't care what they wanted, I was leaving and these diseased ticks weren't going to stop me.

"You can try to take us all on but the odds aren't in your favour." the telepath crooned, I knew his name but I refuse to use it.

"You're a part of their pack, you can't run from them." Esmé said sweetly and it made me as nauseous as their scent did.

'I'll sure as fuck try it.'

Before I could move they were on me like ants at a picnic and I had no idea who to go for first. I could feel their cold hands on me, holding me. My hackles raised and my stomach churned. My heart beat faster and faster until I felt like I was about to have a heart attack.

I could see them at my face, poking and prodding at my skin. Dozens of hands in front of me while dozens more held me still. Every muscle burnt like I'd been running a marathon, every bone stung as if it were broken.

I started to panic.

Anything that came near me I lashed out at. Any hand within reach of my teeth was fair game. I turned and bucked, desperate to get them off me. To stop the visions that plagued my dreams seeping into my waking hours. They had to let me go, if they didn't I wouldn't be responsible for my own actions.

I howled a whimper as hands wrapped around my tail and a crack echoed in my head.

"Renesmee!" the telepath cried as he stepped away.

The vampires let me go and I fell into a heap. Pain wracked my body and I cried into the early morning dull. My heart still felt like it was going to explode, my muscles and bones felt like they were peeling away from one another and every slight motion made my tail throb painfully.

I was surprised when shadows fell over me and I looked up to find Sam's pack standing protectively in a ring around my crumpled body.

'Back off!' Sam bellowed and I knew he was talking to the telepath, 'Who did this?'

"We're sorry. We were caught up in the moment."

'Who?' Sam was getting angrier.

"Renesmee." the bronze vampire said with a defeated sigh, "I swear she did not mean it."

'Leave! All of you, leave now!' Sam growled.

"She didn't mean it. She is just a child." the fang argued.

'I don't care if she's the fucking Queen of France. I want you off our land within the next minute.' the vampires didn't move so Sam yelled louder, 'Or we'll utilize Gabriella's advice.'

They were gone a moment later but their stench remained. As did the pain that they'd caused me.

I wasn't sure why it hurt more now than it had yesterday when Jasper broke my tail but I wasn't particularly concerned with that. Breathing hurt, because my expanding lungs pushed against my spine and had a flow on effect through to my tail. Just like every movement did when your tail hurt. I wouldn't be able to walk, not for a while anyway, so I lay on the ground surrounded by Sam's pack.


	14. Lust Not Love

_**Gabriella's POV**_

I lay there for a long time. Occasionally trying to get to my feet but dropping back to the ground every time my tail moved. It took forever for my body in general to calm down. My heart was racing and lungs were heaving when Sam sent the other shifters home or on patrol. My hackles were still raised three hours after the vampires had left, and I was still lying on the needle strewn forest floor.

Everyone but Jared and Sam had left but those still in wolf form kept checking up on me and it was starting to get on my nerves. I wasn't used to anyone caring and it made me feel pathetic every time they wondered about how I was. Sam was able to sense my agitation and he asked the others to stop thinking about me, they mostly succeeded but the occasional concern slipped through.

'Look how they are reacting to you now.' Sam's voice was soft in my head, 'How do you think they'll be when they don't know where you are?'

'You can't change my mind. The safest thing for your pack is for me to leave. But I assure you if Stendahl ever looks to return here I will come back.' I was tired and my thoughts were feeble.

'Not if you're dead, you won't.' Jared looked at me with soft brown eyes that reminded me of my cousin Randall.

'I won't be dead because Stendahl will not catch up with me. I know what I'm doing.'

'No you don't. Running and leading are two different things and if Stendahl is as dangerous as you keep suggesting than what makes you think that running now will do any good?' Jared looked concerned but he sounded angry, it wasn't a combination that I was used to.

'He's right. We can do better if you stay with us. If Stendahl ever finds out about you being here than we will fight him together.' Sam was sitting behind me so I couldn't see his face but I heard the tight control he was struggling to keep.

'You are safer with me gone. It may not make sense to you but I guarantee it's the only way.'

'The only way to what? You've been living alone for so long you've got yourself fooled into thinking that the only way things get done is if you do them. We may not have the same experience that you do, we may not have been phasing for as long as you but we are more than capable enough to help you.' Jared growled although his face remained as kindly as always.

'I've been watching you all. You don't know what you're doing. You can't kill any of your friends and so there is no knowing if you will actually be able to kill another shifter when the time comes.'

'Maybe not but we'll never know if you leave. You'll never know. How will you ever be able to be certain about our safety if you're in fucking Australia?'

'Firstly, don't ever swear in relation to my home land. Secondly, what makes you think I'd go back to Australia?'

'We heard your thoughts, Gabriella. We saw where you intended to go. How do you think the Cullens were able to intercept you?' Sam gave a half hearted laugh but that was the last thing I was considering at the mention of those freaks.

'You need to have faith in me. I've been dealing with this Stendahl thing for seven years; I think I know what I'm doing.'

'And you need to have faith in us. We can help you. You don't have to do everything alone.' Jared sat up now so that I had to look up at him, I knew he was doing it to make himself feel stronger.

'You can't make me stay.' I grumbled as I looked away from Jared. He was so soft and sweet looking that I didn't feel I could be rude to him.

'I can.' Sam said with one hundred percent confidence, 'But I won't do it unless you keep pushing the matter.'

I wanted nothing more than get up and attack him. To threaten me with the Alpha Voice was just mean. To use it was understandable but this was like... it was a trick. Sam was fooling himself into thinking that he wasn't forcing me to stay. My options were stay under my own volition or be forced to stay under Alpha command. It wasn't really an option; it was like asking if I wanted to die in Canada or in America, in the end I would still die.

I growled but didn't say anything. What could I say? Yes, I'll let you coerce me into staying and watching you all die. Yes, I'll let you put me through what happened to my old pack again. Yes, I'll let you take away my one chance at a selfless act because you think you know better.

'Gabriella?' Sam pushed.

'Fine!' I snapped, 'But on one condition.'

'That depends what your condition is.' Sam was standing beside me now so that I could see his face.

'You will not use the Alpha Voice to pry into my past, ever again. If you do, so help me God I will make you regret it.'

Sam sighed, 'I think you are ignoring how much it could help.'

'I ignore nothing. There are things that you cannot understand, not yet. So back off or I will leave.'

'Okay.' Sam conceded, at least I was leaving this conversation with some sort of victory. Sam sat by Jared and looked down at me, 'Do you think you can phase now?'

I got to my feet, just.

'Not without passing out. What did that little Plasma Guzzler do?'

'It looks like she bit you.' Jared dropped his head slightly, as if he were feeling guilty.

'She what?'

'Don't worry, the Cullens won't come here again. Jacob will pass on all information for us.' Sam said in a relieved tone. It was clear I wasn't the only one that had an issue with them.

I walked slowly back to Sam's house, accompanied by a cheerful Jared. If only he knew what he was fighting me for. If only he knew what awaited him when Stendahl found me here. He wouldn't be cheerful then.

Once at Sam's I was giving permission, by a human Sam, to enter the house in wolf form and got to my room. I had to sneak around the front to do this because the back door was too narrow for my form. Getting into my room was an issue too and I had to hold my breath out in order to squeeze painfully through the frame.

Paul was once again waiting on the bed, only this time he was asleep when I entered. I didn't want to wake him so I was careful not to knock anything as I made my way to the world's largest dog bed that I so enjoyed sleeping on. It was luxurious when compared with the hard ground I used to sleep on.

I curled up on the bed, with my tail as close to my face as I could get it so that I could lick at the wound that Renesmee had left. The occasional soft whimper escaped from me but I was otherwise silent. It seemed the whimpers were loud enough to rouse Paul and he laughed quietly at me as I tried to clean my tender appendage.

"I would have helped you out with that fight, if it weren't for the Alpha Command keeping me like this." Paul laughed as he gestured the length of his body. I snorted.

Paul got off the bed and made his way over to the wall beside where I lay. He leant casually against it and it reminded me of the teen movies where the hot jock would lean against walls to talk to cheerleaders. Only I wasn't a cheerleader and Paul wasn't a jock.

"Honestly, I hate the idea of having to work with the Cullens. They're just... it's not right."

I rolled my eyes and stopped licking at my tail, there was only so much I could do before it became a useless act. I nestled my muzzle into the crook of my elbow and closed my eyes to indicate I wanted this conversation to end. Talking to Paul felt odd somehow.

"Well," he said as he pushed off the wall, "bark if you need me to let you out to go toilet."

I growled low in my throat as Paul settled back onto the bed and turned off the bedside lamp.

The next morning I was supposed to have a heart to heart with Leah. Jared was originally going to escort us, to make sure that I behaved myself, but he'd been given extra patrols to help cover the ones Paul couldn't do. So Paul was taking Jared's position.

"So, how is your tail?" Leah asked as we sat down in Sam's living room.

"It was well enough to morph this morning so... better." I grumped. It had hurt like heck morphing this morning, worse than after Jasper had broken my tail and worse than when Sam had injured my hip.

"She cried." Paul laughed and I glared at him. I did end up with tears in my eyes but I wouldn't classify it as crying.

"Whatever." I waved my hand dismissively in Paul's general direction, "Sam says you have some more questions."

"Yes." Leah said enthusiastically but then stopped for a moment in quiet consideration, "Well... last time we spoke you asked about me getting my period and well... I don't. Is that normal?"

"Jared has no idea how lucky he is." Paul grumbled and Leah shot him a death glare.

"How long do you spend as a wolf? On a daily basis?" I asked as I leant back into the soft couch.

"Well, at least once a day at the moment but before that I was only like... once a week."

"That's your problem. You're body is confused, it's not sure what 'clock' to use. In the seven years I spent as a wolf I got my period six times. Wolves only have one cycle a year, your body goes onto the one year cycle every time you m- phase."

"So I'm not going through menopause?"

"It's unlikely." I huffed as I put my feet up on the coffee table.

"Does your old pack spend their whole lives phasing? Or do you stop eventually?" Leah fidgeted in her chair as if she was uncomfortable being in Sam's house. Paul seemed interested in this question.

"Generally speaking pack members chose when they stopped phasing, it wasn't some prearranged point in time. Commonly a wolf progressively stops phasing soon after his son starts phasing. It helps to keep the number fairly constant."

"What about imprinting?" Leah seemed to be bursting to ask this question.

"What about it?"

"Well, is it common in your pack?" Leah sat forward now. I got the feeling that once she got the answer she was going to run from the house.

"No. I'd never heard of it until I came here. Not under the name of Imprinting and not under any other name. And I'm thankful for that."

"Why?" Paul sounded shocked.

"Well, it sounds like a fairly big burden to me. Love that isn't really wanted but is so strong it can't be ignored. Sounds like a massive pain in the arse not like something that's supposed to be beautiful and glorious like Jared says it is."

"It's like finding your soul mate." Paul started to argue, "There is nothing bad about finding a soul mate."

"Except it's not really a soul mate, is it? You don't have a say in it, you don't get to love someone that you want to love. You can give it any name that you want I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole."

"But it's true love. It's pure and it's everlasting. Why wouldn't you want it?" Leah sounded just as shocked as Paul.

"Why would you? Love isn't about being forced into a relationship, it's supposed to be meaningful and... two sided. Imprinting seems, to me at least, to be nothing more than one person's unconscious lust being confused with love and forced onto another."

Don't ask me why but after hearing what I'd heard from Jared imprinting just didn't sound all that great to me. It seemed to have too tight of a grip on the people involved to truly be love. True love was unconditional and imprinting had the condition of one person being a shifter. Imprinting wasn't real True Love.

Not to me.


	15. Good As Gone

_**Gabriella's POV**_

It's been two weeks since Sam's not-really-a-choice choice and I was waiting in the forest with the pack, as I did every morning, for Jacob's pack. Now that the Vein Junkies weren't coming with them I found it easier to tolerate them although my concentration often slipped when Jacob got too close.

Today's practice was expected to run long because there was going to be a new wolf joining us. Well, new to me. He'd been visiting family from the Makah Tribe over the last few weeks because of an illness in the family. For some reason Brady decided to tell me not to ask about who his father was because it was a sensitive subject; which was ironic because I wouldn't have asked if Brady hadn't said anything but now that he had all I wanted to do was pry into his family life.

I knew it wasn't because I actually cared but more because I was so sick of everyone else prying into my life that I wanted to get a little revenge.

'I want to test out your flight theory.' Paul thought as he lay down beside me.

'Test what about it?'

'Well, you say that it's hard for wolves to follow you and I'm curious as to whether or not that's actually the case.' Paul nibbled at a twinge in his right paw.

'Have you got fleas again?' I laughed as he nibbled a little harder.

'No and I've never had fleas before.' he groaned as he stopped nibbling and rested his head on his paws.

'That's what they all say.'

'It's the truth, I swear.' he whined.

My relationship with Paul had improved somewhat although I was never the one to instigate conversations because he still occasionally had issues with me. Most of the time we remained civil but at least once a day there was an argument about something that ultimately required someone else to step in and separate us.

Thankfully though, things had never gotten as out of control as they had that time that I tore open his lip. The tear had scarred a little but it looked like it would eventually disappear as it was barely visible now, unless you knew what you were looking for.

'Don't lie, Paul.' Sam laughed as he waited on the other side of the clearing.

'It's nice to see you two getting along. After all those stupid arguments.' Collin said as he dug at the base of a nearby tree, 'I was starting to think that you were just too similar to ever get along. Like magnets.'

'No, they're more like too much air in a balloon, always on the verge of exploding.' Shane chortled from next to Sam.

'We aren't like anything.' Paul snapped as he got up and walked away.

I couldn't stop my thought, 'That's mature.'

'Oh, fuck off Gabby.' Paul growled.

As of about a week ago I allowed them to choose a nickname they could use for me. Paul's original suggestions of QB as in Queen Bitch, and Dero, which was Paul's feeble attempt at using Aussie slang against me – I'm sure he spent hours researching that one, too- got a momentary laugh but they settled on Gabby.

I was happy for them to use that one because, somehow, it was the only nickname I didn't get when I lived in Australia and so it wasn't too painful to be called it.

'They're here.' Jared said before any argument could really take hold.

Because the Cullens were no longer coming onto Quileute territory Jacob's pack was no longer guided to the clearing. As they approached, at their usual carefree dawdle, I couldn't help but notice the newcomer, Embry.

He was a slender wolf with a dark grey fur that shimmered in the dappled light that broke through the light canopy above. He wasn't particularly large but he moved in such a way that I was sure he didn't need size to give him the upper hand. With long, graceful movements that seemed so sure in their own strength and certainty.

He could be a great fighter if he knew what he was doing.

'Gabby, this is Embry.' Sam said as he nodded towards Embry.

'Okay.' I said nonchalantly, I didn't want the others knowing exactly how curious I was about Embry although I was fairly certain they sensed it already, 'We may as well get started. Who wants to go first?'

'I will.' Brady bubbled as he bounded into the middle of the clearing.

'I'll take him on.' Paul grumbled as he stalked forward.

We were working on one and one fights now so that everyone could see what it looked like from the outside and what to look for if they were going to get involved in an established fight. It was taking longer than I expected but everyone was gradually improving to the point where I was confident that they could easily hold their own in a fight where the odds were slightly stacked against them.

It took Paul all of five minutes to knock Brady down and win with a bite to the throat. I'd taught them the scoring system we'd used in my old pack where instead of actually biting we just mouthed at our opponent to signify we could have gotten them.

'Maybe the new guy should have a go now.' I suggested.

'Yes. Jacob, Gabby thinks Embry should try his luck.' Sam said. I hated only hearing half the conversation; it was like overhearing to a phone call.

Embry stepped forward and I couldn't shack the feeling that I knew he from somewhere.

Jared entered the ring of wolves without muttering a word and the two sized each other up.

The practice session fights were nowadays always between one member of each pack, this way they couldn't know the moves of their opponent and their opponent couldn't know their moves until they were trying to pull them off.

I was impressed by the progress that Jared had made. He was good to begin with but he was somehow able to get better with every fight that he competed in, whether he won or lost. His win-lose percentage was pretty spectacular too and he was the only non-alpha to have been able to best an Alpha, in fact he'd beaten both Sam and Jacob.

As the fight started I was sure that Jared was going to win, but I was pleasantly surprised when Embry was able to stave of defeat, numerous times. Every time that Embry was able to get out of a losing position I suffered from a wave of familiarity. I just couldn't place where he was from.

Jared slid to a stop towards the edge of the group and spun around to realign himself with Embry. He growled and stalked towards Embry, breaking into a short gallop before rearing up at his opponent.

Embry matched Jared's movements and the two stood on their hind legs snapping and biting at each other's faces. Both trying desperately to get some form of dominance, and it was clear that Jared was getting impatient. I heard others telling him to calm down and concentrate but I tried to keep my thoughts as quiet as possible.

It wouldn't be fair if I pointed out everyone of Embry's weak spots while Jared's flaws remained hidden from Embry. Anyway, I wanted Jared to win this one fairly so that his success ratio wasn't marred.

Out of nowhere Embry jumped slightly, to give himself a little more height so he could bring his jaws down on Jared's shoulder. And in that simple motion I knew what it was about Embry that was so familiar.

To say it caught me off guard was an understatement, but it solidified in my mind what I had to do; what I should have done two weeks ago.

I tried to keep my thoughts as quiet as possible as I moved out of the ring of wolves and turned away. It was startling how easy it was to get away from the clearing without anyone noticing and once I was a short distance away I ran.

Earth flicked up from under my feet as I scrabbled to get the best grip I could while running as fast as possible. It seemed that Paul was going to get his wish of trying to follow me.

'Gabby?' Brady's shocked voice sounded clearly in my head.

I tried to keep my thoughts hushed.

'Gabby? What the hell are you doing?' Sam didn't sound shocked, he sounded pissed.

A thought escaped, 'Saving you.'

The rest of the pack was trying to call me back now and part of me wanted to stop for them. They were the first wolves that had accepted me in a long time and it hurt me to have to leave them.

I heard Paul think, 'Test time.' And I wanted to laugh but knew that it was a far too serious moment for any laughter.

The majority of the pack were on my trail now, as was most of Jacob's pack, I could tell by the bickering thoughts that jittered from the wolves trying to track me. Sam and Jacob stood in the clearing, watching as the other wolves disappeared into the forest after me.

'Gabby, stop.' Sam thought sternly, 'Stop now!'

I refused. Whatever I did I couldn't give in to him. Not this time. It was far too important that I left now and stayed gone. Worse things than pack destruction would happen if I stayed here and Stendahl came looking for me. Much worse things.

'Gabriella, this is an order. Stop now and come back to the clearing.' Sam's voice got louder as his anger grew but even with the mild Alpha Voice he was using he wasn't going to get me to stop.

'You can't run forever.' Brady growled as he kept on my trail.

Already several wolves had lost my track or were having trouble keeping a hold of my scent, it wouldn't be long before all of them were out for the count.

'I don't need to.' I whispered back as Brady lost it and stumbled out of the mob that was still on the hunt.

Jared was leading the pack, the thinning pack and he had a good hold on my scent, as did Paul. Soon it was just the two of them.

'Gabby, just stop and tell us what the hell is going on.' Jared begged.

'Screw that. Keep running and give me a reason to add to your collection of scars.' Paul snarled.

'Just go back to the pack.' I pleaded, hoping that they would see sense and go home.

'Not without you.' Jared's thought was full of sincere desperation. He really did want me to go back; he wanted me to stay, just as he always had. I hated upsetting Jared. He was the sweetest of all the wolves, the kindest without being a pushover. I liked Jared.

'There's been a change in plans. You need to let me go, it's for the best. I swear.'

'Haven't we been through this? The best thing is for you to stay.' Jared growled.

'Not anymore. You have the numbers enough should Stendahl attack.' I lied, hoping they wouldn't read the part of me that knew it was a lie.

'You will come back, now. As your Alpha I command this.' Sam bellowed.

'You are not my Alpha.' I yelled back and pushed on harder.

'No.' I heard Jared sigh, he was losing my scent. But for the moment he had gathered himself enough to find it again.

'Fuck!' Paul was out, he'd lost my scent but he kept running with Jared in the hopes that he would pick it up again. He wouldn't, no one else ever had.

All I had to do was keep running until Jared had given up, and he would. They always did. Jared was fast though and I could sense his thoughts getting closer. I could also hear Paul's annoyed thoughts that he was unable to keep up with Jared.

A few more kilometres and that would be it. The thin grasp that Jared had on my scent would break and I would be Canada bound without any risk of them intercepting me this time.

Despite wanting it to happen I was disheartened when Jared lost my scent. He tried to keep going, tried to guess where I had been but he couldn't.

And I was as good as gone.


	16. Just Another Patrol

_**Jared's POV**_

I still couldn't believe she had actually gotten away. It had been a week and she hadn't come back, as a lot of the younger wolves had thought she would. I wasn't sure how she'd done it, managed to get away like that. Her scent had been so weak, it had just faded away like she hadn't actually been there just minutes before. I was so certain that I could catch up to her, she'd said herself that she wasn't that fast.

She didn't need to be fast when no one could get a target on her scent. All she had to do was keep just out of sight and I had no chance of tracking her. I'd thought I was catching up but I lost her scent and knew that running alone wouldn't be enough.

Sam sighed heavily as we waited in the kitchen for Emily to finish baking her famous muffins. I think he had taken it the worst. It was like the first time she defied his command only worse, because the first time wasn't as official as the one from a week ago.

"Gabby?" I didn't really need to ask but I didn't know how else to start this conversation.

Paul huffed and leant back in his chair.

"Yeah. I just don't know how she disobeyed me, again. Especially since I was able to get that memory out of her." Sam looked morose as he waited for the muffins to be pulled out of the oven. Emily reached over the table to squeeze his hand.

"I don't know why everyone is so upset." Paul groaned, "I knew she'd upset everyone. That she'd leave us to that brute, if he even exists."

"He does exist. Jacob said Carlisle did some research and there have been reports of a shifter called Stendahl that date back about fifty years." Sam rubbed his forehead, exhausted by Paul's cocky attitude.

We all were.

Since Gabby had left he had been an absolute pain to live around. Every time the topic of Gabby came up he'd go on about how he'd expected it and warned us it would happen. True he had, in the beginning, said that she would disappoint us, that she would likely upset the younger wolves. I had hoped he be wrong, I had for a while thought he would be but now that he was right I was just pissed.

I received a little consolation from Paul's cockiness because I knew that it was, at least a little, an act. I had heard him, while we were chasing Gabby, heard the thoughts he was hoping he was thinking softly enough that no one would hear.

'Gabby, please turn back. You can't leave.' He'd proceeded to curse himself out, partly because he'd lost her scent and partly because he hadn't wanted to think that.

Emily and Kim had picked it up early, gossiping between themselves that the only reason he was fighting her was so that no one would know he actually liked her. They were stuck on the idea that since Rachel was leaving he was falling in love with someone else, but I didn't believe that. You can't just turn off an imprint and move on; if you could than I'm sure Sam and Emily wouldn't have gotten together in the first place. I wasn't sure if he was attracted to Gabby, or just liked her the way that I did but it didn't really change the fact that it hurt him.

"So there is a guy called Stendahl, I'm sure there have been plenty of them. It doesn't change anything, Gabby wasn't really here for us, she was here for her own selfish reasons." Paul grumbled.

"Like what?" Sam groaned, he didn't really care but it was often easier to play along with Paul.

"Well..." Paul started, but clearly wasn't sure what was selfish about what she'd done, "If she'd really been concerned about us than she wouldn't have ever stayed. She would have just kept going through and there wouldn't have ever been an issue."

"We made her stay." I argued.

"So, she gave in. If she had have just ignored us and kept going then we wouldn't be here. We wouldn't need to practice fighting each other in earnest, in the fear that a psycho would come and slaughter us." Paul's fists clenched and his knuckles whitened.

"Well, what's done is done." Sam muttered. I knew he hated what had happened. He didn't like the idea that we were now potentially under another threat.

"So she bares no responsibility in all of this. What are we supposed to do? Keep training and phasing everyday for a threat that may or may not come? And for how long? One year, two? How about a decade or five? How are we supposed to get over this if she's gone?"

Emily slammed the bowl of muffins on the table, "She isn't Rachel."

"I never said she was." Paul snarled as he caught Emily's eyes and they started staring each other down.

"She did what she thought was best for all of you, not for herself. You all saw her over the last week, she was starting to fit in, to take her place. I'm sure it hurt her just as much as it hurt you when she ran away." Emily was scarily serious.

"Em? Please, sit down." Sam pleaded.

"What does any of that have to do with Rachel? Rachel isn't threatening the lives and limbs of everyone in the pack."

"Yeah, because the only possible pain of concern is physical pain." Emily sighed as she sat down.

There was silence for a few moments, and everyone was averting their gaze from the others. Paul slammed his fists down on the table, got to his feet and stormed from the room. His body shaking like mad.

"Em?" Sam sighed, "Why did you do that?"

"Because he needs to stop blaming Gabby. I'm sad that she left but I am certain she did it for the right reasons. Watching your pack being killed mustn't be fun, believing that it's going to happen again must have really been eating at her."

I thought more about the chase, about how she'd been thinking. Well, she hadn't really been thinking anything. All we'd really gotten from her was emotion. She had been scared, but confident. Like she knew what she was doing was right even if she had no idea what was waiting for her. There had also been a hint of surprise, like even she couldn't believe what she was doing.

"Jared, can you check if Paul's on patrol? If he's not, will you take over for him?" Sam had his head pressed to the table, he'd only gotten off patrol half an hour ago himself and with everything that was happening recently he was run down.

"Sure."

Paul hadn't been on patrol. He cursed at me when I asked him if he was considering going on patrol any time soon and I decided against fighting him on the matter. Not too long after he had phased back to human form and disappeared off the grid.

I was patrolling the northern border, marking the edge of our territory as I went. Patrolling used to be fun but it was getting tedious, seeing how we were all patrolling at least once a day. I couldn't wait for a day when Sam would tell me that I didn't need to patrol, again but I understood that at the moment it was all hands on board as we tried to keep the tribe safe.

The sun had just started to set when I first smelt it. A shifter, that wasn't one of the pack or one of Jacob's. The scent made my hair stand on end as I considered the possibility that Stendahl was scouting the territory. I took in a deep breath to capture the scent and then started following it, slowly at first, not wanting to make too much noise. After a few minutes I was running the path that this other shifter had left in my desperation to find it.

Sam's voice echoed in my head as he told me to slow down. One of the younger wolves had broken his patrol to tell Sam what I had found and Sam had called everyone into battle, so to say. But before I could tell Sam where I was I skidded to a halt, choking on a stench so strong that it had almost winded me.

Vampire.

And not one of the Cullens, this vampire was even worse smelling then them.

There was blood splattered around the forest where I stood. Clumps of fur hung off bushes and broken branches. The forest floor was torn up and the pine needles were clustered in small mounds at the end of bare dirt tracks. There had been a fight and a violent one at that.

My hackles rose and my senses peaked. The smell of vampire was so strong that it had to still be here. I turned around in circles, checking between every tree to make sure it wasn't watching me from the shadows. When I knew the shadows were empty I looked up and yelped in surprise.

There were two vampires in the canopy, holding a small wolf between them. I could see that one of the vampires was missing an arm and wondered if they'd crossed paths with Gabby recently. The thought distracted me momentarily and the two armed vampire dropped from the trees onto my back.

I could hear my pack mates screaming that they would be here in a few moments. Telling me to fight them off for just a short while.

With a vampire on my back I wasn't sure that I could, it had a death grip on my neck and my air supply was quickly being cut off. I tried to turn the way I'd seen Gabby do with Jasper, but this vampire held on tight.

The world around me was spinning, the colours darkening more than the normally would for this time of evening. Bright white bursts of light exploded behind my eyes, blinding me from the inside. My eyelids dropped as the world died away.

This was it, I thought, this was how I was going to die, choked to death by a bunch of vampires.

I jumped a little with surprise when I found myself breathing again. Stumbling groggily to my feet I turned to see a large pale gold wolf ripping an arm off my attacker.

Gabby.

There was an almighty thud as a wolf fell from the trees and landed right in front of me. It whimpered at the landing and I was surprised that he was alive. I tried to step towards him but I was still unsteady from being choked. The second vampire hit the ground softly and stared at me.

One arm was nothing more than a short stub that protruded from the shoulder. But it didn't stop him as he jumped over the trembling carcass of the injured wolf to come nose to nose with me. I snapped at him but he just laughed. Over his shoulder I saw Gabby with the other vampire, its legs somehow wrapped around her neck.

"Time to die, pup." the vampire crooned and reached towards me and I shied back.

Just in time too as another wolf shot from my periphery to clamp his jaws around the shoulder of my attacker. The vampire hollered and screamed for help but his mate was now lying, with only his head, torso and right leg still connected. Gabby was bearing down on him so fast that he didn't have any chance to defend himself as she clamped her jaws around his head. I'd never seen one wolf take out a vampire so effortlessly.

My attention snapped back to Embry, who was struggling to keep his vampire under his control. It was a few feet in front of him, looking around in great panic. I staggered towards Embry, trying to offer some support, although my head hurt so much I thought it might be split open.

"Oh, he's is going to love this." the vampire crooned as she stepped back away from Embry. She shot a look at Gabby, who was now joining in on the stalk to the vampire, "He comes for one and gets two."

As if of one mind, Gabby and Embry tore forward at the same time. The vampire turned tail to leg it and within a few moments they were all out of sight. I wanted to run with them but I could barely walk and knew my presence would only be a risk.

'Jared?' Sam sighed as he slid to a stop in front of me, 'Where have they gone?'

'That way.' I nodded in the direction that the others had gone in.

Brady, Paul, Shane, and – to my surprise – Leah rushed into view and followed the tracks of Gabby, Embry and the vampire.

I looked to my right and was shocked to find the ground bare, well almost. There was a scary big pool of blood left where the strange wolf had lain but there was no wolf and no human to suggest there was ever a wolf there.

'The shifter?' I sputtered before phasing. Even as a human I was still feeling lethargic and putting on my cut off jeans was not as easy as it normally was because I couldn't lean too far forward.

"He left. Jacob's pack is following him now." Sam reassured as he pulled on his shorts.

"What were they doing here?" I stammered.

"They caught the vampires' scent while patrolling the Cullen's border. Lucky thing too. I hate to think what would have happened if Embry hadn't been able to step in like that." Sam sighed as he watched me for a moment, "We better get you back to the house, you really don't look so good."


	17. Family Reunion

_**Gabby's POV**_

One vampire was lying headless to the east of us, while another was just outside of my bite reach. Embry was running perfectly level with me and we both just missed the vamp every time we tried to reach for it. It laughed as it ran; it's cold, hard chortle sending shivers down my spine.

The vampire took to the trees, clearly aware that we couldn't climb after it. We tried to jump up the trunk of the tree to grab the vamp and pull it back down, but once again it was just out of reach.

"It's so cute. Oh, just wait until he hears about this." the vampires voice was slick and cold, it made my blood boil.

My mouth salivated at the idea of tearing into the vampire and hearing it choke as I crushed its throat.

"Come on, children. Take a bite, if you can."

Four more wolves exploded onto the scene, jumping and snapping at the vampire in the tree.

"Stupid mongrels. Can't get it through your thick skulls that I'm too high up." With that Leah backed up, disappearing from the fray of wolves trying to get at the vampire. The leech laughed, "Well, maybe one of you has a little brain in their head. Just a very, very little one."

I tried to use my hind legs on the tree trunk to get me up higher but the leech just scooted higher up. Despite knowing it was useless I tried again. And again and again and again and...

Leah was back, only this time she was damn near running vertically up along the tree trunk. The leech was so shocked that Leah was able to grip the vampire's foot and yank it from the tree. Unfortunately, the only thing that came from the tree was the foot and the vampire hissed before travelling higher up and disappearing amongst the sprawl of branches.

We all gave up although we wanted to follow, we knew it was a waste of energy to do so.

Suddenly everyone was looking at me, glaring at me, each displaying a different emotion.

'Where have you been?' Brady snapped although his eyes were excited.

'I told you, if I left I would stick around to make sure you were not in trouble before I tried leading Stendahl away.' I realised that Embry and Leah had no idea what was being said and wracked my brain for a way to morph and get some clothes.

Leah disappeared again and I was left standing in relative silence with two young excited wolves, one very confused looking wolf and a very, very angry looking Paul.

'Of course I'm angry!' Paul yelled in my head, 'First you take off without a word of warning and now you come back just as suddenly. What, do you want me to just accept your return? Welcome you back with open arms?'

'No. I'm not requesting any sort of gesture from you. Sorry for being observant of your mood.' I growled and glared at him.

Leah came back, holding a large bundle of cloth in her arms, "I think you're close enough to being my size." she said as she placed the clothes in front of me.

I morphed and quickly got dressed, not wanting to be naked in front of Embry. That would just be weird. By the time I had finished everyone else had morphed and was waiting for me so we could walk back to the town.

Part of me longed to walk the other way but I knew I couldn't turn away this time. Stendahl knew I was here and he wasn't going to just leave this place be now.

We walked to the town in relative silence, the only noise the sound of our heavy foot fall and short breaths. I was surprised at how quickly we caught up with the others although it made sense, when I saw Jared.

He was still pale and finding it hard to control his breathing. Even in the low light of the evening I could see there was a shadow around his neck that would be a deep bruise by the morning. I wanted to say something supportive to him but I couldn't think of anything so I kept my mouth shut.

"You're back." Sam said gruffly.

"I promised that I would stay to insure you weren't on his radar."

"So? Why are you back?" Jacob growled. He'd never liked me and it seemed that my disappearance and return were not helping the matter.

I looked at the ground, "He knows. I don't know how but he knows."

"You're kidding, right?" Paul gasped, "Because you wouldn't leave we're now under threat from a homicidal maniac. Great."

"This isn't my fault." I growled, although it was my fault, "I was living over the Canadian border, keeping an eye on the traffic that crossed back and forth. Stendahl could not have known that I knew you."

"Right, it's not your fault. Whose fault is it then? The Cullens' maybe?" Paul snapped and stepped toe to toe with me.

"Why would you even bring them up?" Brady said with an exasperated sigh, although I wasn't paying much attention to him.

"Who knows? Maybe they're in cahoots with some of Stendahl's scum and told them where I was." I growled and stared into Paul's eyes, "Maybe they are Stendahl scum; he has some in every country."

"Fucking typical. Nothing is ever your fault. Let's blame someone else."

"Fuck you Paul! I stayed as a first line of defence, how was I supposed to know that a vampire would be investigating from the south?"

"Maybe because you know Stendahl oh so well?" Paul snarled.

"Exactly, I know Stendahl. Not the American fucking 'Globin Gobblers. I was stopping Stendahl, not them; that's your job, remember?"

"Guys, settle down." Jared groaned from his seat at the roots of a nearby tree.

Paul wasn't interested in anyone else anymore, "My _job_ is to protect the tribe. That means from all threats and the way I see it, you're the biggest threat to them at the moment."

"You have no fucking clue! You think because you're a big tough shifter you know what's best for everyone. I guarantee you have no idea what's best. A few months ago you thought you were the only shifters in the world. The truth is you're not even the only shifters in this state."

"Really, thank God that we met someone as wise and all knowing as you..." at this point not even I was able to distinguish between what I was saying and what Paul was saying. Well, 'yelling' is probably more fitting than 'saying'.

Someone grabbed my shoulders and pulled me away, as Sam did the same to Paul. Soothing words were murmured into my ear but I couldn't really hear them. All I wanted was to be standing nose to nose with Paul, arguing with him despite how much it hurt to hear what he thought.

"Okay, just stop!" Sam put a lot of emphasis on the word stop and it had both me and Paul freezing in our attempts to yell at each other, "I've officially had enough of both of your bullshit. I don't know why you dislike each other so much, or why you both love to fight so much, but as of this moment you will stop. We don't have time for this crap anymore."

Sam turned to me and took a few big breaths, clearly trying to calm down before he spoke to me, "Do you know what Stendahl will do next?"

"I can't be certain, if he has vampires coming from the south than I don't know how he's going to act." I sighed, shrugging out of Brady's grip.

"Is there anything we can do? To get ready?"

"Put your head between your knees and kiss your arse goodbye." I shook my head, "Prepare for anything. Keep going with the patrols, be suspicious of everything."

"Will he definitely be coming? One hundred percent certainty?" Jacob looked concerned as he stepped closer to me.

"That vampire spoke about him. We couldn't stop it. It will go to Stendahl and Stendahl will come here." I couldn't believe this was actually happening. This was exactly what I didn't want happening and now I had no choice.

The group of shifters started moving off again. The pack positioning itself between me and Paul in an attempt to stop us arguing; I'm sure that if Sam hadn't told us to shut up then we would still be arguing over everyone.

Jacob was up the front with Sam and Paul, whom carried a very wobbly Jared between them. It was likely that Jared would not be able to do much for the next day. Being choked wasn't like other injuries; it was far more shaking than anything else. Choking could knock a shifter out and keep them knocked out for hours, it rarely killed a shifter but when you are as totally and utterly defenceless as you are when knocked out, chocking doesn't need to be the thing that kills you.

Every now and then someone would turn around and look at me, with varying amounts of curiosity, confusion and anger. Every time I caught them I made sure to stare back, I often became antagonistic for just about no reason at all and I was feeling antagonistic right now.

Embry slowed down to drop back from Jacob's side. He jostled his way back to Brady and myself without once turning around to look at me. Phillip watched Embry with confused eyes as he over took the older shifter, casting a quick glance back at me before shrugging and turning back to the front of the group.

"What did that vampire mean before?" Embry asked and his voice wasn't quite what I'd expected.

"What do you mean?" I pretended to play stupid although I knew exactly what he was talking about.

"Don't play stupid." Embry yelled the last word before calming himself, "What did she mean when she said 'he comes for one and gets two'?"

Everyone had heard Embry yell at me and was now staring back at us; I felt unbelievably awkward. We'd all stopped and the focus was back on what I was saying. I didn't want to have to be the barer of more bad news.

"What did she mean?" Embry growled again, his eyes trained on mine.

I took a deep breath knowing this was not what any of them wanted to hear, "It was talking about Stendahl coming for me." I didn't want to have to tell them, I wanted so badly to be able to walk away and let them go on as if neither me nor Stendahl ever existed.

"What did the 'gets two' bit mean?" Sam growled, impatient with my stalling.

"That vampire is going to tell Stendahl that I'm here, and so is Embry."

"Of course I'm here, where else would I be? And why would he care?" Embry's voice cracked a little and I knew he had figured it out.

I gave him a timid smile, "Nice to meet you, little brother."


	18. The Father You Don't Want To Have

**Author's Note:**

**Please be aware that this chapter gets a little... intense, I guess. It is about the details of what happened to Gabby's old pack. I don't think there is too much detail but... basically, Stendahl is a genuine psychopath. Enjoy, I guess.**

_**Gabby's POV**_

"It's why I ran." I said as I watched Embry over the coffee table.

He was taking it surprisingly well, considering I'd just told him that his father was a globetrotting psycho with a passion for ruining the lives of his children. Embry had fought it to begin with, telling me over and over that he was Sam's younger brother, not mine. But I was certain, I had seen him in wolf form, seen the way he moved when he fought. I didn't tell him exactly how like his father he was but there was no doubt in my mind that Embry Call was my brother.

"Why? Didn't you think that I would believe you?" Embry was fidgeting nervously but seemed to be alright otherwise.

"No. I was worried that someone would see you and figure it out like I had. I knew that if Stendahl saw you, he wouldn't just be after me. You'd be on his list too." I leant into the nook made where the arm of the couch met the back rest.

"Jacob told me what Billy told him about Stendahl but... seeing as his my father and all..."

It was only the two of us in here, Sam had thought that maybe Embry would like to talk to me in private, but still I didn't know if I could tell him everything he wanted to know. I didn't think he actually wanted to hear everything there was to say, I didn't want to know it.

"I don't know Embry. Isn't it enough to know that he's done horrible things?" I sighed.

Embry looked remorseful, "I don't think so. Ever since I was young I wondered what my father was like, now that I have a name for him, I want to know about him. Even his flaws."

"As far as I know, and care, he only has flaws. You don't want to know what happened." I looked away from Embry and out the dark window.

"I understand that it's hard for you but he's my father too. I just... if I'm going to fight against him, I need to know what he did. What he really did."

I couldn't hold out against that soft, yearning weep, "Okay, but I think Sam wants to know this too."

_It was a clear night, warm with the enduring heat of the Summer sun, and I was sitting in Uncle LJ's parlour with my two youngest cousins, Robin and Lil' Lloyd. Robin was turning four in just six weeks and Lil' Lloyd was 'two and one halves years old', as he liked to say. I had no idea what was coming and was just happy to be around family._

_Uncle LJ was the only member of my father's family that still spoke to me. His wife, Jane, had died a few years earlier and she'd made him promise not to let family 'slip away' as it had in her family. She'd had a falling out with her brother and then he'd fallen into a coma. I think he's still in a hospital somewhere in Melbourne, being kept alive by machines and modern medicine._

_When the whole Stendahl incident had occurred he'd gone out of his way to make sure I knew that there was always a room for me in his house if I needed it. After the pack had turned me away he'd sent a message through my human friends telling me I was still welcome. When I went back I did so in secret and had to hide in his house so that the rest of the pack wouldn't find me._

_Robin wanted to make chocolate chip biscuits but we didn't have any chocolate. Randall knew that I was staying with Uncle Lloyd so I crept over to his place, and I hate to admit it but I had to break in because no one was home. I left him a note saying I'd replace the chocolate, because I thought he'd freak out if he realised that someone had stolen his chocolate._

_As I left his house I saw them._

_An army of red-eyed suckers streaming into the town. They swarmed over front yards and rooves, breaking down doors and smashing windows to get inside at the helpless people. It was strange how little screaming there was. Some many vamps were there that no one had time to make a noise before they had teeth sunk into their skin._

_I morphed at the sight of them, which was about the worse thing I could have done. They weren't told what I smelt like or what I looked like as a human, they were told to look out for a yellow wolf and once they saw me they were hooked. Each of them wanting to be the one to take me to Stendahl._

_I did my best to fight them off but I was slowly failing. At least, until my other pack showed up. We were a large pack, especially since most of the pack were dingoes and were normally very independent. They fought the vampires one on one, taking their time to tear them apart. But no matter how hard or fast they killed the fangs, more of them just kept coming._

_When I saw them reach Uncle Lloyd's next door neighbour I remembered that Robin and LL were alone. I tried to get there to protect them, I hoped that they were hidden away from all the Glitter Monkeys. All I was concerned with was finding them and saving them. But when I got to the front door I saw movement inside and assumed the worst._

_There were vampires teeming around the ground floor of the house and when they saw me they... they ignored me. My Ganna was standing at the top of the stairs and she screamed when she saw me. She hadn't known I was around and I had a feeling she thought I was fighting with them by the way they reacted to me._

_She rocketed away from the stairs and towards the parlour. She moved fast for a sixty-five year old with two prosthetic hip joints and she slammed the door to try and protect her two legitimate grandchildren._

_I fought my way through the throng of vampires, not worrying to kill them just wanting to get them away from my grandmother and my niece and nephew. I barely made it there in time to stop them attacking my relatives. One of them had been able to break down the door and I killed it before it got to my niece and nephew._

_They were so scared when they saw me do that. I saw it in their eyes, saw how they flinched away from me. The tears of terror in their eyes._

_I barked at my grandmother, unable to use words to tell her to leave. But as long as I stood in the doorway I was large enough to stop the vampires getting to them._

_Ganna swept LL into her arms and pulled Robin into her side. I barked again, I howled at them. Finally I growled, the most threatening growl I could muster, and I used it on my family. The horror on their faces grew as my Ganna started backing out of the parlour and onto the balcony._

_That was when the vampires stopped ignoring me. They grabbed me by the tail and started pulling me out of the doorway. Once I was out of the doorway more of them swamped me, they grabbed me and lifted my entire wolf body off the ground._

_There were nine vampires that attacked me, and they held me so tight I thought my bones might break. They carried me to Stendahl, who was holed up in the town hall waiting for his goons to bring me to him. I could hear the cries of my people and the howls of my pack, I saw Randall being dragged under a nearby house by a vamp and was certain that that would be the last time I ever saw him._

_They carried me slowly through the town, as if seeing my discomfort at the scene before me somehow made them happy. That's when I saw how they were pulling apart my pack mates, how they broke their necks and tormented them._

_Stendahl was having fun using a shotgun to torture Rupert, one of the oldest pack members. His screams made me cringe because most of the older shifters never made a noise in pain. When Stendahl saw me he smiled, like a petulant child eyeing his largest birthday present. Rupert didn't feel much more pain after Stendahl pressed the shotgun to his temple and pulled the trigger. Some wounds we just can't heal._

_He had his goons hold me in the corner while he strutted around the hall like some sort of psychotic king. 'It's sad really. If your mother had have just kept that slutty little mouth of hers shut then none of this would be an issue. While you are the proximal cause for all of this it is ultimately your mother's fault. She was far too easy to get into bed, spread her legs like a common whore she did. I'm not sure why I chose her. I normally enjoy the hunt more than the kill, so to say.'_

_It made me sick to hear him talk about my mother that way but there was nothing I could do, the vamps were too numerous for me to out match them and I was stuck listening to Stendahl berate my mother. I thought changing might cause some of them to lose their grip, but I was wrong, they held on as tight as ever._

_At that stage in my life I was highly confronted by nudity and didn't like the idea of anyone seeing me naked, normally. It's strange how some things that seem important can become so trivial when stuff goes wrong._

_Stendahl didn't know how to react to my nudity though, it seemed the one fatherly thing in him was to not see his teenage daughter nude. 'Have some fun guys but don't kill her. We still have some things to discuss.'_

_The vamps pinned me down and started with their attack. I still find it hard to believe how much those tiny cuts hurt. They cut me everywhere and anywhere; all across my face, along my neck, between my fingers and toes, the back of my knees, the insides of my elbows, across my chest and even inside my mouth. Stendahl returned momentarily with a dressing gown, told the leeches to cover me up and then walked away. Once they did that, they focused mainly on my face._

_It seemed to be a joke to them, as they cut my skin and poisoned my flesh. By concentrating around my eyes I couldn't blink without causing pain. Blood welled in the cuts and was funnelled into my eyes; eventually I couldn't see anything through the layer of blood that covered my eyes._

_They just laughed._

_I couldn't see a thing so my hearing seemed to become more responsive to the sounds around me. I heard people crying, people dying. I heard my pack mates perish as they fought for their families. The sounds still haunt me, I dream of them and I can't look at my own reflection because of them. For years I was so desperate that more than once I tried to scratch the noises from my ears._

'_Stand her up!' Stendahl had screamed at the leeches and they cursed him for ruining their fun. He threw a bucket of water over me, to wash the blood from my face. I saw myself in the reflective glass of the windows, I looked like I had been wearing red mascara and spent the last hour balling my eyes out._

'_I'll give you one more chance. Join me and we'll leave this place. You, me and your brothers. We can be one happy family. Just say the word.'_

'_What about this pack?' I'd cried, the blood was filling my eyes again and I was losing sight of the room._

'_They're good as dead. Can't have them spreading rumours about me now, can I?' I could hear the laughter in his voice and it made me sick._

_All I did was shake my head. I couldn't even bring myself to use words. I'll never be able to take that back, never be able to replace that weak fucking action with real words. Everything that happened, happened because I shook my head._

_I wish I had have nodded. Every day I wish I had have nodded._

_Stendahl used a tissue to wipe the blood from my eyes and then waved his hand at one of the vampires standing by the door. Then they dragged them in. Twelve people, twelve of my family members. Ganna, Robin, LL, Aunty Georgette, Aunty Maureen, Regan, Ged, Bertie, Constance, Glyn, Posy, and my sister, Jillian. Each of them was held still by a vampire, Aunty G and Aunty M were held back by two, each._

'_Keep your eyes open, baby girl.' Stendahl had crooned as he dragged my Aunty Maureen to the middle of the hall._

_Thirty minutes. Aunty M screamed for thirty minutes straight as Stendahl tortured her with a collection of knives and pins and bullets. He killed her with a single bullet through her neck. She set the example for the next eight victims, until only Ganna, LL and Jillian were left._

'_Now, let's see.' Stendahl chortled as he looked at the last three family members I had left. The others were piled by the door, like they were nothing more than trash. 'We have the grandmother who disowned you before any of the real trouble had even started. The sister who blames you for your mother, father and everything that happened between them. Or the little cousin, who adores you and dreams about running around the bush with you when he finally phases. Options, options.'_

'_Let them go. I'll join you, just let them go.' I had pleaded. He never reconsidered my decision not to join him. The head shake was binding, it seemed. If it weren't for the vampires hold me I would have dropped to my knees and begged him, I would have kissed his feet and said whatever he wanted just to have him let them go. I was willing to do that for every family member he had killed and despite that gnawing feeling in my gut that Stendahl wasn't listening to me, I had tried every time. 'Do what you like with me, just let them go.'_

'_Well, that's just it, isn't it? I want to see you in pain. I could just shoot you but that's not the pain that I want. I want to destroy you, and the most enjoyable way to do that is through them. If I let them go then I can't get what I want from you.' I hate that man's voice. When I get the chance I will tear out his voice box and watch him choke to death on his own blood._

_He grabbed my Ganna, put her in front of me and said 'Do you have anything you want to say to your imposter of a granddaughter?' Ganna opened her mouth to say something but nothing ever came out. Stendahl shot her in the back, she died instantly. The bullet passed through her and lodged in my wrist, missing the vamp who was holding my forearm by a few millimetres._

'_Who next?' he had laughed then, 'I think... that one.' He pointed to LL and the vamp holding him pushed him forward._

_Stendahl tortured LL for the longest. He broke his arms, cut his skin, and whipped him with a belt. Anything he could think of to cause LL pain. After more than an hour he let LL go, pushed him to the side and turned to my sister. I'm not going to tell you the details of what he did to Jilli, except to say that she was begging for him to kill her by the end of it. He turned back to LL and, mercifully, shot him. Jillian wasn't so lucky, she bled to death. Slowly and painfully._

_After I watched Jillian die, Stendahl sat with her body. He redressed her and lay her on his lap while stroking her blood soaked hair, it reminded me of the movie scenes where a parent comes across the dead body of their child, only it was creepy and disgusting._

_I was dragged into the Hall at eight o'clock on Thursday night, and Stendahl and his army disappeared just after seven the next morning. By six o'clock Friday night I was walking away from the remaining members of my pack in the hopes that I would be saving them from Stendahl's return._


	19. Teenage Love is a Fickle Thing

"You have no idea how sorry I am that I have brought this curse down on you, it was never my intention." I sighed as I looked down at my wrist and noticed the small pink shimmer of old scar tissue.

"Gabby." Emily sighed.

"Don't." I whispered, "I don't need your pity. What's happened has happened, it can't unhappen. I just ask one thing."

"What's that?" Sam's voice was soft and cracked slightly.

"When Stendahl gets here, I want to be the one to kill him."

"Of course."

"Stendahl... he killed a two year old?" Emily gasped.

"He killed half a dozen children under the age of one year."

"But he tortured the two year old?" Emily looked like she was going to be sick.

"Yes. But I don't think he did it purely for the pleasure of torturing LL, he did it to torture me too. Two birds, one stone."

"How imminent is this threat?" Jacob asked as Embry pushed past everyone to get out of the room.

"When he gets here he won't stop to listen to reason, he's after me and Embry and that's all he'll be concerned with." I sighed.

"Then we fight him as a pack." Sam said firmly.

I cringed, "Do they realise what this means? Stendahl will bring a small army with him, we don't have the numbers to fight him."

"The Cullens want to help, with them we will be stronger. Anyway, Jasper has been maintaining their training, he knows what he's doing." Jacob seemed slightly torn as he spoke.

"Knowledge can only get you so far; at some point you need numbers to back you up."

"Then we'll find numbers." Jacob said with an air of self-confidence, I could have slapped him.

"And how long will that take? Because we may only have a day or two before Stendahl gets here." I growled, unable to contain my frustration.

"We can at least try. I'll ask the Cullens if there are any more vampires nearby that can lend a hand."

"And why would vampires want to help us?"

"Well, they won't want to help us, but they may want to help the Cullens." It seemed nothing was going to wane his confidence.

"Maybe you should go ask then." Sam suggested, I think he could tell that Jacob was starting to get on my nerves, "It would help to be certain of numbers before the day itself. How many do you think Stendahl will have in his army?"

"I have no idea, but he's probably going all out. I wouldn't be surprised if the total reached one hundred." I couldn't look at anyone, I couldn't believe what I was doing.

I should have run when I had the chance, I shouldn't have let them know my intentions and I certainly shouldn't have let them convince me that things would be alright if I stayed. I have put another pack's existence on the line, another town's lives, for the sake of feeling like I belonged. If I was half the person my father had trained me to be then I would have run, and run fast. Lead him away or faced him head on, I should have done one of them, not let him come here. This was a bad, bad idea and there was a part of me that hated me for it. I felt sick to my core at the contemplation of what was going to happen, and the thought that Stendahl would do what he had done last time and leave me alive to live with my own mind numbing guilt.

If that happened again I knew exactly what I would do. And it wouldn't involve globetrotting this time.

That night was passing surprisingly fast. After telling my story Embry had left, I assumed he was struggling to comprehend exactly what his sperm donor was capable of. Sam had then told me I was allowed to leave and I took the opportunity when it was offered.

Unfortunately, Sam didn't trust me. Not that I blamed him at all; I had run away from the pack without telling them why. So he sent Paul with me, with a warning that he would be keeping an ear out for any signs of an argument.

I went out the back to sit on the damp grass and feel the cool wind on my face. It was suddenly official, I was not going to be running anymore, at least not in the foreseeable future. I lay down on the grass and looked up at the clear night. The deep midnight blue was flecked with little white stars, like grains of flour on a dark bench top.

"I..." Paul started, his face pulled into a painful grimace, "I'm sorry."

"Wow, that was... incredibly difficult for you to say." I laughed, "There's nothing to be sorry for. I'd feel the same way if the tables were turned."

"I don't think you would." he sighed.

I felt a little ticked that he was playing the misunderstood soul with me but I let it go. Sam was stressed, almost to the point of tearing hair from his head, and I didn't want to be the one that pushed him over the edge.

"Well, so you know, if I had a choice I wouldn't spend time with me either, so your obvious hatred is understandable." I muttered.

"I don't hate you." Paul said candidly, "I hate that everyone else just accepted you. It's dangerous to let someone like you in and they stood there with open arms."

"Oh, so it's a trust thing, is it?"

"No, it's an I-think-my-pack-mates-are-suicidal thing." he groaned as he leant his back against Sam's house.

I laughed, "You don't really think that, do you?"

"Generally not but sometimes I do consider it a possibility, for some of them."

I turned my head to look at him and found a genuine smile plastered across his face as he stared out at the forest. The yellow light from the open window cast long dark shadows over his pointed face. His eyes shone in the light, turning his dark brown irises to a bright shade of sepia.

"Like which ones?"

"Wouldn't you love to know?"

"I want to know everything about everyone." I joked as I rolled my head away from Paul to look back at the sky.

"There's a few that would tell you everything."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I said, furrowing my brow and staring at the moon.

"I probably shouldn't be saying this, seeing how much I _hate_ you and all but... Brady."

I watched the moon for a few seconds, contemplating what Paul had just said but I couldn't understand it, "And I'm lost. What does Brady have to do with everything?"

"Your social development has clearly been stunted by living as a wolf." Paul sighed, "It means he likes you. And by like I mean... how do I put this nicely?"

"You think he's got a crush on me? Why?"

"I don't think it, I know it. And I know it because I can hear his thoughts, and you are on his mind way too much for it to be anything less." Paul laughed.

"He's like twelve." I was kind of disturbed by the thought of Brady thinking of me in any sort of affectionate way.

"He's actually almost nineteen."

"Yeah, still wrong." I sighed.

"Why?" Paul shifted and I glanced at him, he moving to cross his legs so I looked away.

"Well... I've never been attracted to younger guys, it's just not me."

"When were you born?"

"December 21st, 1990."

"You're only twenty-one." Paul laughed, "So you first phased in 2000 or 2001?"

"2001, scared the crap out of my Mum when I showed up at the back door as a wolf. She thought it was Randall to begin with, until he knocked on the front door and asked where I was." I smiled at the memory.

"How is it that you look so much older now?"

"Believe it or not, my knowledge of how shifting works isn't quite complete. I know about the genetics because Sampson figured it would one day be something I would worry about. It might have something to do with living as a wolf but I couldn't say for sure." I breathed in the clean air and yawned.

"Did you have a boyfriend?" I turned to look at Paul, "Before that whole..." he gestured behind him, "thing happened?"

I thought back to that time in my life. I'd never been a girly girl, never been concerned with whether I had a boyfriend or not. But yes, I had had a boyfriend when Stendahl had stormed my town. I nodded but couldn't bring myself to actually talk about him.

"I'm sorry. Does it still hurt?"

I nodded again.

"That's what scares me the most." I dropped my head to the side to look at him, "My... my girlfriend is going to leave me. I'm kind of afraid that I won't be able to get over her."

"You sound like a teenage girl." I laughed, not meaning to sound rude or nasty and hoping that it didn't come across that way.

"Thanks." Paul groaned, "She's not so much my girlfriend as she is my imprint."

That didn't sound right. Jared and Kim had drilled into me that imprinting was forever, it couldn't be broken easily and if it was then it would have dramatic consequences. It didn't sound right that Paul would imprint and then have his imprint walk away. Mind you, I didn't think that imprinting sounded as great as they made it out to be.

"I've spent sev- okay, six years as a wolf. Wolves don't tend to think about past relationships much. It'd likely be different if I spent some more time as a human." I still got the feeling that I couldn't trust Paul but I couldn't stand to see him upset the way he was now. Like part of him was broken and wasn't ever going to be fixed.

Paul nudged my shoulder with his foot, "I know you're making shit up but thanks. Everyone else is intent on telling me that it'll all work out. I don't think it will."

"My Dad used to say that when it comes to things 'working out' sometimes you need to do nothing and other times you need to strive towards a solution. It was probably the wisest thing he ever said, and subsequently the wisest thing I've ever said."

"So, are you telling me to do something or do nothing?" Paul leant forward onto his knees.

"Whoa, no! Now that is your decision to make. Last time I gave someone relationship advice, their girlfriend slept with their sister."

"How the hell did you manage that one?" Paul laughed loudly as he leant back.

"Well, it was like this..."


	20. Stressed

_**Sam's POV**_

I watched as Paul followed Gabby out of the room and waited to hear the back door close before I turned to Jacob.

"Did you expect any of that?" Jake asked as he stared down the hall to the back door.

"Not at all. I got the hatred for her father and the remorse for what happened but I didn't get any of the torture." I said, thinking of what we'd been able to gather from her mind.

Wolf telepathy had been very clear to us before, every thought you had, every emotion and every belief, that was what we got from one another. The first time we phased with a new pack member we got an overload of their most recent thoughts and even Jared, Paul and I struggled to hold things back from the others. We'd thought it was universal, every part of our minds were fair ground for others to explore.

Gabby had put a spanner in the works of that one. The first day we had gotten, what I'd thought was, the overload. A rush of thoughts and feelings all jumbled up and seemingly in another language, Australian, I still couldn't get over how strong her mental accent was. But it seemed that we only got part of it. Since that first day we have had snippets, the occasion thought that until this moment didn't make sense but never as much information as what we just got then. In fact, it was more like she was only ever talking to us, never giving free rein into her mind. I wanted to know how she did it.

"Do you think she was lying?"Quil gulped as he stared at me.

"No, we knew that her father had done horrible things to her but this... this I never got."

"Do you know how she does it?" Jacob looked worn out, just like everyone felt.

"Probably the same way she refuses Sam's Alpha Commands." Jared mumbled as he stared out the window.

"She refuses your commands?" Leah gasped.

This was too much. I needed some time to sleep and then some time to think this all through, but I knew I wouldn't be able to get out of this just yet, "Not always."

"Maybe she's not really a member of the pack." Brady laughed inwardly.

"Maybe she's still in contact with her old pack." Quil's suggestion was just ludicrous, she couldn't be in two packs at once.

"No, that's not it." Jared groaned.

"Maybe she's an Alpha?" Jake said it more to himself than to anyone else.

I considered it.

It did make sense; Jake had been able to refuse me when he was part of this pack. And Gabby had always been slightly standoffish, maybe in her head she was still a lone wolf, only now she had a little bit of company. We had considered it before, her being an Alpha, I had suggested it before she joined the pack because she could communicate in wolf form with me and Jake.

"She does have the personality for an Alpha." Emily smiled and looked up at me, "Strong, confident, intelligent. She has lived with the death of her entire pack for seven years and she is still capable of smiling. Gabby is definitely an Alpha."

"Paul also fits that description; strong, confident, intelligent. I couldn't see him taking over for Sam, no offence to Paul." Jared leant forward to rest his elbows on his knees and his forehead in his hands. I noticed that he looked pale.

"I think maybe we should all sleep on this. So that we can let it sink in a little before we start jumping to conclusions."

"That sounds like a good idea. We should check on Embry. Finding out your father murdered your sister's family is definitely worse than thinking he was just neglectful." Quil muttered to himself as he walked out of the room.

"I'll call you tomorrow, organise a time to come around and discuss this some more." Jacob disappeared out the front door.

The rest of the shifter's slowly filtered out of the living room until it was just Emily, Jared and myself. Jared looked like he was going to be sick.

"Are you okay, Jared?" Emily was genuinely concerned for Jared, she was concerned for all the wolves at the moment.

"Yeah, I think so... it's just-" Jared sighed heavily, "how does someone do that? Kill and torture? Take their own daughter and force her to watch as they... how did Gabby come out the other side of that? How do you live knowing that your father, the man without whom you wouldn't exist, could and did do that to the people you love? And I thought your dad was an arse." Jared finished with another sigh.

Jared normally wouldn't have reacted like that, I know he wouldn't, and if it weren't for Kim's recent pregnancy 'scare' – Jared and Kim were nowhere near scared, they were ecstatic at the idea and horrified when it turned out Kim wasn't pregnant – than he would have been able to take that all in his stride. The possible pregnancy had Jared wandering about what sort of father he would be. This wasn't the best time for him to hear this story.

"I think you should go home to Kim." Emily said gently, "You know she'll know what to do."

Jared nodded and dashed from the house.

Emily was right. When I was feeling as crappy as Jared looked, all I needed to do was see Emily and everything was somehow better, then when nothing changed.

I hugged Emily, needing to feel her fragile body pressed against mine, needing her presence to keep me grounded. She pressed her head against my chest and I smelt the sweet scent of her shampoo, something with lilies in it. I loved the smell of her hair.

"Come on, Sam. I think you need a good rest." Emily smiled at me and everything else just slipped away. I couldn't hear or see or smell anything but her and I didn't want to. She dragged me to the bedroom and pushed me back onto the bed, kissing my forehead softly. I pulled her into me and down onto the bed, I loved being this close to her.

She laughed, her beautiful delicate laugh making me smile like a love struck teenager, "I need to finish cleaning up. You rest." She pushed away from me and walked to the door, "And don't stress about anything."

I watched her walk away, wishing that it was just us and no one else, that this Stendahl guy wasn't coming to kill us. I realised that Paul and Gabby were still outside and I hadn't been listening to them as I threatened I would.

"It wasn't like I was the one that told Hilary about Jess' feelings. But when she found out she was... let's just say no one I spoke to realised she was that way inclined. Not that anyone really cared."

I wasn't sure what they were talking about but it sounded civil so I close my eyes and focused my attention back to Emily. She was humming to herself as she cleaned and I wanted to go out and help her. Now that my body was on the bed now, it didn't want to move and I fell asleep wishing that I was out there helping the most beautiful woman that's ever graced the planet Earth.

_**Gabby's POV**_

'It's nice to see you and Paul getting along.' Jared murmured as he sniffed at a scent mark.

'Well, sometimes all it takes is a good Alpha Command to bring the love to the surface.' I laughed as I scratched at another tree.

It was too late now to be concerned with who knew I was here, so the least I could do was make it smell like we were a massive pack, rather than the meagre twelve they had, not including myself. I couldn't help but think of my old pack and how it had had nowhere near enough to save itself and I hated the thought of what awaited this pack, and the humans under its charge.

'We'll be alright. Jacob said the Cullens have some friends that are willing to help.' Jared sighed, 'I know you don't like vampires but we need them.'

We started moving on to the next mark.

'I know I just wish it wasn't the case. I wish all of this wasn't the case.'

'We've reached a total of thirty, it might not be what your old pack had but we've got vampires, they'll help.' Jared sounded his usual chipper self and I knew I couldn't fight it, arguing with his happiness never got anyone anywhere. Paul said that he no longer even tried because failing to upset Jared always made him angrier.

I stopped just short of our next mark, alarmed by a weak scent. The joys of pack telepathy were never more obvious than when there was a perceived threat. I didn't need to think anything specific for Jared to be at my side trying to catch a whiff of the scent as well. Within the second every patrolling wolf was on high alert waiting for us to finish inspecting the scent.

'It's not vampire.' Jared thought softly.

'It's shifter.' I sighed. It was a shifter in human form meaning that the scent was slightly different and harder to place than when they were in wolf form.

'Which way did it go?' Sam wondered.

There was no good answer to this question. A trail leading into the territory was a threat on the town. But a trail leading out of the territory suggested that they were, at one point, close to the town.

This one was leading to the town.

'I'll follow it to the town if you'll back track it.' Jared suggested.

'Okay, go.' I turned towards the border and started following the tracks out of Sam's territory.

The only problem was that the track seemed to be about a day old and the further I ran from the territory the harder it was to hold onto the scent. I was about fifty kilometres from the border when a strong wind blew across the track, bringing with it the scent of a herd of elk and washing away the shifter's scent.

'No. Please no. Fuck!'

'We've all done it.' Brady bubbled as he and Paul fell into line with me, staring out towards the Canadian border.

I didn't really think anything, just turned back to the La Push territory and dawdled back.

'What's wrong?' it was aggravating how effervescent Brady was.

'We lost the track, Brady. That's what's wrong.' Paul sounded as annoyed as I felt.

'No matter, we'll catch them one day.'

'That's just it, Brady. We can't be sure how many more chances we're going to get before Stendahl shows up and tears us all limb from fucking limb.' I snapped, more than a little pissed off that Brady could be so positive.

'We're prepared to be unprepared.' Brady thought, imitating Sam very well. The success of his imitation was not what of particular importance to me as the anger rose from my stomach.

I threw myself at Brady, unable to think of anything but the irritation of the ever-positive pack of wolves. They were so confident in themselves that I felt like I hadn't told them enough about Stendahl, but there was nothing else to tell them.

My teeth clamped around Brady's ruff and I pulled away, a clump of fur coming with me. Brady yelped and made a mad dash back to pack territory while Paul stood there staring at me. He watched as I let the fur fall from my mouth and then tried to push the last few strands out with my tongue.


	21. Fight and Make Up

_**Gabby's POV**_

'What the hell was that about?' Paul growled as he watched me.

'He was annoying me.'

'Great reason.' he sighed.

'Don't give me that shit, or you'll be next.'

'Really? You think you can take me on do you?' Paul taunted as he strutted towards the forest.

I was confused. Sure Paul was normally cocky but he generally didn't run away while being so. I stopped to watch him, the way his dark fur rippled in the shafts of late afternoon light. He had a surprisingly elegant gate, smooth and swift like a well trained dressage horse. I'm sure he wouldn't have approved of being compared to a horse but if he heard that he'd have to just deal.

Paul paused just outside a sudden concentration of pine trees and looked back at me, his eyes raised in questioning.

'This isn't a game.' I yelled at him, although I knew that he still would have heard me if I whispered.

'Jared said that when you first got here you were acting like a child. Where is that Gabby now?'

'Being held hostage by the Gabby that understands the seriousness of the current predicament.'

'Geez, talk about uptight. I thought Australians were supposed to be laid back.'

'Well, most Au-'

'Yeah, yeah. Current predicament. You need to stop thinking about it.'

I started walking again, not that I really wanted to go back to the pack; they'd likely be pissed for my attack on Brady. But I wanted to follow Paul.

A week ago I thought that me and Paul would never be able to get along but after Sam's little freak out there was something different between us. Paul seemed to be more open and outspoken with me about, well, everything. He was still angry but it was less consistent now, which should have upset me but somehow didn't.

I liked being around Paul now because he went easy on me. He didn't question me like the others did, didn't push for answers. Being with Paul was like being with an old, slightly unstable, friend. I had a little trouble reading Paul, just like I did with everyone else in the pack, and it seemed to help. I could hold things back from him without him getting too suspicious and I was sure he was doing the same to me.

'Oh, hurry up! We'll miss Sam's tirade if we take any longer.'

I could already hear Sam yelling at me but I'd travelled far enough that I could ignore the yelling and focus on my surroundings.

The wind was still blowing and it was an annoying reminder of having lost the shifter's scent. The pine trees had their own strong scent about them and I was surprised that they hadn't interfered in my tracking. I guess it didn't surprise me much that I hadn't been able to follow the scent, I was never very good at that.

I thought of Rhys and his magnificent sense. I was the only shifter he couldn't track, and even then I only just managed to get away from him. He had been a small red dingo; his eerie howl was something that I don't think I'll ever forget. If there was one pack member I would always remember it would be Rhys, with his raspy bark and sharp little teeth.

Bile rose in my throat at the thought of him and I gagged to get the burning liquid out of my body.

'Are you okay?' Paul asked, as the bile dripped onto the cold ground.

'Fine!' it came out shorted than it should have and Paul's curiosity was peaked.

'Are you sure?' Paul's voice was the only one I heard this time as everyone else seemed to have phased back to their human selves.

'Yes I'm sure. I know my own body well enough to tell that I'm alright.'

'Talk about PMS.' Paul didn't mean for me to hear that, I could tell by the parade of soft curses that followed it.

It didn't much matter whether he meant it now. He'd thought it, I'd heard it; there was no going back on it.

I charged at Paul, fully aware that he would fight me back. He stood his ground and as I reached him we both reared up, like two waves meeting. I had velocity on my side and Paul was knocked backwards, we crashed into a sapling and it buckled under our weight.

Paul tried to push me off but I was more than pissed, he was going to bear the brunt of all my annoyance and I didn't feel the least bit guilty for it. Mainly because I knew he could take it. I tried to keep the distance between us as short as possible as we rolled over one another in a fight to gain some dominance. My actions started to feel very brash as I realised that I didn't have the strength to overpower Paul, not after having run so much and working so hard to keep on that scent trail.

I was pinned beneath Paul's heavy frame as I tried desperately to get a hold of his neck. He was just tall enough that I couldn't reach his soft neck, not with the way he had my shoulders trapped beneath his weight.

'Settle down, Gabby.' he crooned.

All it took was a simple twist and his paws slid from my shoulders, it hurt like hell as his claws caught my skin but I rode through it just to be free of him. Paul leapt back so that I couldn't reach him and we started to circle one another.

We circled each other in silence for a few moments before I sighed, 'This isn't worth it.'

'What's not worth it?'

'Everything. Being here. Being around your pack.'

'What are you trying to get at?'

'I should leave.'

'Haven't we been through this?'

'I should leave and cut Stendahl off before he gets here.'

'And do what?'

'Fight him, what else?'

'He'll kill you.' Paul gasped.

'No he won't. And even if he does, it'll give you some extra time to prepare. Screw this prepared to be unprepared.'

'You are suicidal, then?' Paul stopped circling and gaped at me.

'No. I'm just sick of it all. You're all acting like this isn't a big issue.'

'We understand that this is a _big issue_. We are just trying to maintain some sanity, before we start talking like you are.' Paul just stared at me

I growled; I didn't like being called insane.

I wondered why he cared so much. A week ago he would have recommended the idea himself but all of a sudden it was 'insanity' for it to even be thought of. Paul's inconsistency was now annoying and I wanted to attack him again for it, but held off.

'I thought Sam told you how much the pack cared for you. Why would you just throw that away?'

'They'll get over it. If you let me go then you will all get over it.' I snapped and I was surprised when Paul lunged at me.

He burst forward and took a clump of fur into his mouth as he pushed me back. In my surprise I couldn't figure out where to put my feet and I fell backward. I was tempted to fight him but just couldn't bring myself to do it. Instead I tried to kick him off, but when that didn't work I gave in and phased. It took Paul a few seconds to realise what I'd done but it was his reaction to my phasing that surprised me most.

He phased.

His naked body fell on top of mine and I was uncomfortably aware of the heat from his body where his skin touched mine. He leant on one hand and snaked the other behind my neck, pulling my head up roughly and kissing me.

Suddenly my body was on fire. There was warmth and butterflies in places that they hadn't been in for years and desire took control of me as I kissed him back. I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck, pulling our bodies closer together. Any separation was too much and I was frantic in my attempt to hold my body against his, the feelings seemed to be reciprocated as Paul leant down on me, pushing his firm muscular torso into mine.

He was forceful yet gentle as he maintained control over me and the situation. Supporting himself on his forearm he moved his other hand to my side. He trailed his fingers down my side to my hip, leaving the skin where he'd touched to tickle and tingle with the memory of his tender caress. My stomach was filled with anticipation as his calloused hands worked over my soft flesh.

He held my hip for a few moments, gripping a little tighter than was necessary as there was no way I would try to get away from this. His strong grip seemed to intensify the heat from his hand and its proximity to my core had my nerves on edge with longing.

His hands held tighter as his body pressed harder against mine. I could feel his excitement and figured he could sense mine as well. We couldn't get close enough, couldn't touch enough. The electricity that pulsed from his touch was driving me insane but I didn't want it to stop.

As his firm hand wrapped around my breast I realised what was happening and found the strength to push him back. Scrambling to get away from him and his glorious body. When I felt I was a safe distance from him I looked up. I wish I hadn't.

He looked hurt.

"I- I'm sorry. We- ah, we can't. No, it's not right." I think I was talking more to myself because my body was screaming at me to rewind. I wanted so badly to return to him and press my body against his superb self.

"It felt right to me." Paul said with a smirk.

"Then _you_ are wrong." I growled, jumping to my feet and phasing. I had to get away from him, before I did something I'd regret.


	22. Tease

_**Gabby's POV**_

I couldn't believe what I'd done.

I have done a lot of strange things in my life, normality went to shit around my sixteenth birthday and I was almost used to doing things not even I expected, but what happened with Paul...

Paul was off limits. He had a girlfriend. More than that, he had an imprint and while that meant fuck all to me that didn't mean that it was nothing to him, or to her. For me to have let myself get carried away like that, for Paul to have let me...

No. This wasn't Paul's fault, this was mine. Paul was having problems with his girlfriend but that didn't give me the right to barge in, to act like a slut.

I needed a shower. I needed to wash away the dirty feeling that I had from doing something I had always thought was so wrong. In my wildest dreams I had never for a second dreamt that I would be attracted to a 'taken' man. And yet here I was, running away from the imprinted wolf that I had just been 'frolicking' naked on the forest floor. The imprinted wolf who wasn't imprinted on me.

I shuddered.

My reaction confused me. I was upset with what I'd done but really, was it _that_ bad. It wasn't like we actually had sex. It was a kiss. An intense kiss. An intense naked kiss, but still just a kiss. Kisses didn't mean anything.

I was emotional. Paul was emotional, probably feeling even more confused than me because of his issues with... I felt like a bitch. I didn't even know his imprint's name. I knew it had been mentioned to me, I had met her. How could I not know her name?

I stopped running. It wasn't getting me anywhere, I was just running along the edge of the territory. The ground was cold against my stomach and I found myself wishing Paul were touching me still. I shook my head viciously and covered my muzzle with my paws.

'What are you doing?'

'What? Nothing.' I stammered and I knew that Brady was suspicious. I sighed, 'Sorry about before. I shouldn't have done that to you.'

'It's okay. Sam wants to talk to you.'

'Great.' I groaned.

'It's not like that. Sam is pissed because whoever it was they reached the town and he's worried.' Brady lay down beside me, 'He's not upset with you. He wants to talk about... Stendahl.'

I sensed that Brady wanted to say something else, 'What is it?'

He sighed and looked away from me, 'Have you spoken to Embry?'

'Not since I told him... well, you know.' Brady let out a heavy breath and I got a feeling that something bad was coming, 'Should I start running, again?'

'I think Jake wants the two of you to talk. Apparently, Embry isn't taking it all that well. How do you know he's Stendahl's son?' Brady looked at me now, his light eyes sparkling with curiosity.

'He looks like Stendahl. Has the same nose and the same snarl. It scared me when I figured it out.'

Brady pushed his shoulder harder against mine, leaning most of his weight on me, 'Do you think that we can win this one? I know your family didn't but they didn't know Stendahl was coming.'

'Maybe. I don't know how many times Stendahl has come up against someone who's expecting him. We may just get lucky.'

'So where's Paul?' Brady asked out of nowhere.

'Not here.' I said, once again answering a little too quickly.

'Okay, well... I was thinking...'

'That sounds ominous.' I joked as I waited for him to continue.

He laughed a quick laugh but then became all serious again, 'If we, well... you know, if we do survive Stendahl... would you, I don't know... go out with me?'

I didn't know what to think about that. As I'd told Paul last week, I wasn't attracted to Brady. I hadn't even considered that he liked me because well, I didn't like him, not like that anyway. It was also a little confronting since I'd just ripped a chunk of fur out of his neck, the bald patch was half healed already.

'I- I'm sorry, Brady. I think you're cool and all but... sorry.'

Brady's response surprised me, why was this pack so damn unreadable, 'That's cool. I knew it was a long shot. But, if you ever change your mind, my door is always open.'

I breathed in a sharp breath, 'That's kinda creepy.'

'So, is it Paul?'

'Is what Paul?'

'Is Paul _the_ but that means you couldn't say yes?' Brady sounded strangely mature.

'No, why?' I tried to stay cool, tried to keep my body calm and my thoughts composed. I think it worked.

'Well... Paul doesn't like me at the moment.'

'What does that have to do with me?'

'I'm getting to it. Sheesh.' Brady laughed in my head and it made me nervous, 'He doesn't like the way I think about you.' I made sure he felt the concern I was feeling for the _way _he thinks about me, 'They're not that bad, honest. I just really like remembering the day we first met.'

'Oh, why would that upset Paul?' I wondered, not sure why the first day we met would be a big deal. Maybe it was because it reminded Paul of how much he hated me, normally.

'Because you were kind of naked. I'm not saying that I don't do well with the ladies,' I rolled my eyes as his maturity disappeared, 'but it's always surprising when an attractive woman, as yourself, just nudifies in front of you, I mean me, I mean... I think you get what I mean. It's kind of a turn on. If only Collin hadn't been there...'

'Then I would have phased and bitten it off. And yes I'm talking about what you think I'm talking about.' I tried to sound light and friendly as I internally scolded myself. No wonder Paul had slipped up before. I hadn't considered the effect my nudity would have no him. I should have known, with everything going on in his life, he'd react out of character. I really was a slut.

'Okay, maybe it's a good thing Collin was there.' Brady chortled as he rested his chin on my paw.

'What's with this touchy feely Brady that I'm getting? Cause it's kinda disturbing.'

'Umm... I guess I kind of got a little worked up before I came to talk to you. Seriously, if you're ever feeling lonely...' he winked at me. It's strange hearing a sexual innuendo and then being winked at by a wolf.

'I've lived alone for six years. If I'm feeling lonely, I don't need you.' I laughed as I stood up and started towards the town.

'Oh, now that is not fair.' Brady whined, 'You can't just leave me with a comment like that. God, you're such a tease.'

I felt horrible hearing him say that, after the whole Paul fiasco. God, what if he told everyone, could he keep it from them... I cringed at the thought of that because I knew that he wouldn't be able to keep it from them.

'I'm sorry. I didn't mean that to offend you.' Brady's voice in my head tore me from my building panic.

'It's okay. I was... it's been a long day. I'm going to go find Sam.' I scolded myself internally for being so obvious with my emotions.


	23. Understanding Confusion

_****Author's Note:  
_

_This is the first time we see things from Paul's POV and hopefully it will put a few things into perspective. This has taken a while and I'm thinking about redoing a few of the earlier chapters in order to have the Romance start a bit earlier. I kinda got caught up with Gabby's story so it didn't play out quite the same as the original draft. Anyway, I hope you enjoy.  
_

**Oh, and thank-you to all those who have stuck with me for long enough to get here. I am very grateful, especially to those who have reviewed.**_  
_

_**Paul's POV**_

I felt like a cock.

But I couldn't regret what had happened. Oh, wait, yeah I could.

I regret it because of Rachel. I loved Rachel, I never wanted to hurt her. The fact that she was leaving was tearing me up, it had been for months.

It was agony when I didn't know when she was going to leave, worse than it was now that there was a set date. Thinking that every day I had with her was going to be the last, thinking that I would never be able to move on. At least she wasn't dying, was all I could think of to try to make myself feel better. It didn't work well but it did ease things a little bit.

The thought of Rachel being on the other side of the country, of her not being with me, it was like someone was using a white hot blade to carve out my heart. I had cursed being a shifter, cursed the Cullens for making me this, because when I was fifteen this would never have happened.

I'd never truly loved a woman when I was just human, mind you I'd only ever dated girls but I think you get my drift. I'd never put my heart into anything because it wasn't me. Hearts were fragile, easier to break than the finest of glass trinkets. After the disaster that was my parents marriage came to an end I saw how it affected my father and swore I would never get that involved with another person.

Then I'd phased. Then I met Rachel. Everything that I had never wanted was forced onto me. I couldn't help but put my heart and soul into that relationship and look where it's got me.

Rachel and I had tried to make it work.

She couldn't stand being back in La Push, she wanted a normal life in any town but La Push. I realised soon into the relationship that she wanted Rebecca's life, something simple and easy. A loving husband, which I was willing to be. Children, that I was willing to give her. A nice house in a nice town, that was the least I'd expect of somewhere for us to live with our family.

When times looked like they were quieting down around La Push and Forks, we tried to leave. I had a handle on my temper, I was shifting less often and we were beyond happy. But despite how much I wanted to leave, I couldn't. Three days before we were due to put down the bond for a small apartment I had lost it. I got angry because my truck had a flat tyre and I phased. It took me the full day to calm down over a freaking tyre.

We tried again. Only this time we found a place in Forks. Rachel thought small steps away would make things easier. But the day before the viewing of a house, that Rachel called 'as close to perfection as Forks would ever get', I flipped out, again. Rachel went to the viewing alone and when she got back, I was still unable to regain human composure.

Two months later Rachel suggested that we try again and I got angry. Everything involving leaving made me angry, even though I wanted to leave. I wanted to make Rachel happy and would have moved to Antarctica if that's what it meant. But the wolf in me wouldn't let that happen.

We started fighting, regularly. And then, six months ago my world started crashing down around me.

Rachel's ex-boyfriend, John, the guy she dated for almost two years before she came back to La Push and I imprinted on her, showed up. Apparently he was in Seattle for something work related and stopped by to see Rachel. That was when I lost her.

The love of her life, the original love of her life, showed up right when the imposed love of her life was no longer satisfying her emotional needs. It was 'just lunch', then it was 'just a phone call'. Then a secretive text message and a midnight call that Rachel had hoped I wouldn't hear.

Then Rachel said that we needed to talk.

Soon after Gabby showed up. And then I felt even worse.

When I first saw her, in her beautiful golden wolf form, I was madly attracted to her. I'd never thought anything of any woman after I imprinted on Rachel and now I was stunned by a bitter, angry wolf that I didn't know in the slightest.

So I blamed her.

It was easy to pretend I wasn't attracted to her when all I thought about her was how angry she made me. I focused my thoughts on how reserved she was, how untrustworthy I found her to be. I thought about how dangerous she was to the town and how volatile she could be. If I was worrying about the town then I couldn't find her alluring.

Don't ask me why but after she tore my lip open, I wasn't able to think about anything but her allure. Everyone heard it. I lusted after her. Everything about her made me feel... energized. Her mere presence made me happy and I hated her for it.

Sam didn't question it. He jumped on any solution for my returning anger issues. He figured that, even though we couldn't understand how these emotions could exist, it was better that I was happy and confused than upset and aggravated.

I didn't like it. I lashed out at Gabby because I had nothing else available to me. But most of the time I liked being around her so the outbursts were random and tended to come out of nowhere. Every time I yelled at her I wanted to drop to my knees and beg her for forgiveness, but the arrogant wolf in me wouldn't let that happen.

The wolf in me would let me yearn for her though. It made me desire everything about her. I wanted so badly to touch her, in any way, just to feel the soft heat that radiated from her. I thought of how her skin had felt, how the smooth scars marred her tender flesh.

I hated those scars but I loved them too. I loved everything about her just because it was part of her but I hated those scars because when I thought about them all I could think about was the pain that she must have felt while her father carved her up like a lifeless chunk of meat.

It made me sick, almost physically, to try and imagine the anguish, the torment. Gabby must have felt so alone, as a man who should have loved her allowed her to be literally picked apart by the creatures they were both born to kill. It was a wonder that she could trust anyone, at all.

I loved that she was able to. That she was becoming part of this pack.

It meant that one day we could be together. I honestly believe that one day we will be together. Happily. I wanted Gabby to be happy, I wanted to be the one to make her happy. Every time she smiled, although it rarely happened, I wanted to be what she was smiling about. It was almost like I had imprinted on her, but not quite.

And that just raised more issues.

How could I feel these things for someone who is not Rachel? I wondered how she would feel if I told her I was in love with Gabby. I hated the fact that she loved someone who wasn't me. It killed me to think of her thinking about John, let alone being with him; doing what I did with Gabby this evening.

My stomach churned.

Rachel could not find out about that. It would break her heart. I would have to talk to Sam, have him put a gag order on the others in regards to anything they hear from me while in wolf form. There was already a non-Alpha commanded ban on talking about my thoughts in front of Rachel but now I was sure an Alpha command would be necessary.

I was sitting on a fallen log by the edge of the forest, staring out into the trees. Now I looked over my shoulder at Sam and Emily's little house. I needed to talk to Sam now, before he requested another phase and everyone heard everything. There was no way I could not think about it.

Sam was sitting at the kitchen table with Jared, looking over a simple hand drawn map of our land. They were talking about what was the best way to maintain patrols while dropping back on hours, I didn't think they could do it.

Emily was bustling around the living room, tidying up like she always seemed to be doing. I wanted to ask her to leave so I could talk to Sam and Jared in private but knew that it would be rude to do so. As long as she was in the living room we could keep our voices low enough for her not to hear.

"I need to talk to you two." I said in the lowest tone I could muster without being suspicious. I went a little too low and both Alpha and Beta raised their eyebrows with mistrusting expressions.

"Why are you talking like that?" Jared asked, his voice louder than I would have liked.

"It's kind of private and I don't want Emily to hear. Pack stuff, you know?"

"Okay, sit down." Sam joined me in using a soft voice, Jared looked wary.

I took a seat and went quiet. How was I going to put this without sounding like an asshole? Would they understand that my feelings for Rachel had changed, and I'm sure it was a permanent change?

"Well?" Jared pushed.

"It's about Gabby."

They shared a quick glance before focusing their attention back on me. They both looked apprehensive as they waited for me to continue. I hadn't thought this through enough, I should have broached the subject a little more carefully.

I dropped my head towards the table, "I kissed her."

"What?" Jared just about screamed and Sam smacked him in the shoulder.

"Is everything okay in there?" Emily called.

"Fine, babe. Just heard something a little stupid." Sam called back before dropping his voice to talk to me, "Why the hell would you do that?"

"I didn't plan on it, it just kind of happened. And once it started I couldn't stop myself."

"You didn't?" Jared gasped, although he dropped his voice by now.

It took me a second to realise what he was thinking, "No. No. Although... just no." I didn't want to tell them that I would have gone there if Gabby hadn't gotten so upset, "I wanted to ask a favour."

Sam looked crestfallen for some reason, "You kiss someone you're not imprinted to and then you want a favour?"

"You know how I feel about her." I sighed.

"Yes, we know. Everyone knows. And no one says anything because we don't want to hurt Rachel. Why couldn't you have waited? Waited until Rachel left." Jared growled.

"I didn't mean to do it."

"No, you slipped and you tongue accidently ended up in Gabby's mouth." When Jared said it like that it sounded more than a little disgusting.

"That's not what I meant. I just want to make sure that no one will tell Rachel about this. I will do it myself but until then no one can say anything about this to anyone. Please."

Sam shook his head slowly, "Okay. No one will tell anyone anything about what they get from your head, especially not Rachel or Jacob."

I hadn't thought about what would happen if Jacob found out. He'd kill me. Not that I blamed him, I wasn't feeling particularly thrilled about how this had all played out. For a moment I wished that Sam had never asked me to go over to Billy's to see if Jacob was there, that way I'd never have seen Rachel and this wouldn't be a problem.

"I want to tell you that I'm sorry about this but..."

"We get it. It just would have been easier if you'd lost your self control after Rachel and John were living together." Jared sighed but I got the feeling he wasn't as upset as he was acting.


	24. Can't Because of Want

_**Gabby's POV**_

It was early morning, the day after I'd lost the trail of the mystery shifter, and I was waiting by the border for Embry.

He'd been what Sam wanted to talk to me about. Apparently Embry really wasn't handling the revelation that well and Jacob was worried about him. I'd agreed to talk to Embry about it; he was my brother after all.

It didn't seem quite right calling him my brother. I'd only had one sister when I was younger and the idea that there was someone else out there, someone that I had a connection with, was just bizarre. But still, I wanted to help him.

That was why I ran away after I met him. I wanted Embry to never have to know this, that his real father was a homicidal maniac. I couldn't guess how he would have felt. I had years between learning my dad wasn't my father and that Stendahl was my father. From the moment Stendahl came into town Dad told me not to trust him and so I was kind of prepared to be disappointed by the man.

Embry didn't get that, and I wanted to try and help however I could.

"Does it ever get better?"

I jumped at Embry's sudden arrival but smiled at him once I'd composed myself. He sat facing me on the other side of the border and I noted that he looked tired. His face was drained of colour and cheer, he looked like he hadn't smiled in a month.

I pursed my lips and pulled them into an awkward grin, "In a way, yes."

"How?" his tone was void of just about all emotion but I'm pretty sure I heard a little bit of disbelief.

"One day you'll realise that who he is doesn't change who you are. Your mother raised you, not Stendahl. He is no more a part of you than I am." I hoped he would figure this out soon because it had taken me years to stop fearing my own anger.

"What do you know about him? Where is he from?"

"I figure from his name he's from northern Europe, but otherwise I don't know anything about him. It doesn't matter. He is nothing. Don't give him the time of day to care." He wasn't looking at me anymore; the pine needle in his fingers seemed to be more interesting.

"Easy for you to say."

"Now it is. When I first realised what Stendahl was, what he was capable of, I couldn't stop thinking about him. Thinking about what I'd do to him if I ever got the chance."

He looked up from his fingers, "Then why did you run?"

"I was scared of him." I lifted up the left side of my shirt and pushed down the edge of my jeans, revealing the large round scar, "This is a constant reminder of what he could do. I see this and I think of the pain. The anguish that caused my sister to beg for death."

"He did that to your sister as well?"

"He did it to lots of people. It's like his brand, a perfect circle of skin removed from the hip so that his victim can't chase him. It really hurts to walk when you have no skin protecting your muscles from the environment."

"Will he do that to me?"

I looked him in the eye, desperate to make sure he knew exactly how honest I was being, "I won't let him. I'll die to stop him."

"You say that like it's an easy choice to make." Embry smiled, it was weak and barely visible but I'm sure that's what it was.

"It is. I don't want to sound morbid or depressing but... I'm not really living for anything. For six years I was a wolf and what do I have to show for it. A severe distrust for everyone." I sighed, "I should have died with my pack, if I die trying to kill Stendahl then it's just the universe setting itself right."

"I don't think Sam and his pack will agree with that." Embry didn't seem to like what I'd said, "And... I've never had a sister. Maybe that's what the universe wants. For you to be a big sister and for me to be a little brother. God knows I'm immature enough."

I watched Embry carefully, looking for some sign that he was talking out his arse. Unfortunately, I couldn't find one and it disappointed me. It was strange how much I wanted these shifters to wrong me, so that I would be justified in not trusting them. But they wouldn't and I shouldn't distrust them, but a small part of me did.

"How old are you?" I asked, wondering if it was the right way around; if I was the older sister that was.

"I turned twenty-two about a month ago."

"Okay, well, if I'm your big sister than I think I need to catch up on tormenting you. I want to know more about you." I smiled.

We spent a while sitting there talking, until our legs started to go numb and we decided to do a short patrol while we talked. I used to read a lot and I remember when characters met long lost family members they would say that it was like they'd always known each other. That wasn't the case with me and Embry. He was a stranger to me, and I to him, but I wanted to know him and while I found some things irritating, for the most part he seemed like a good guy. His mother had brought him up well and it was clear this whole shifting thing was straining their relationship.

He had suggested that after this fight with Stendahl was over I should meet his mum. I was annoyed by this suggestion because it assumed that everything would be alright, just like the entirety of Sam's pack was under the impression that they could work it all out. I'd politely declined but he told me that I didn't have a choice in the matter and he'd bring his mum to me if I was going to fight him on it.

He wasn't kidding when he'd said he was immature.

"My first girlfriend was Amy and we were ten." He smiled at the memory, "We thought we were so grown up because we would hold hands and walk around the play ground. What about you?"

I thought about it for a few moments, "I was twelve, his name was Nick. It lasted all of one weekend when he broke up with me because 'it wasn't fun playing football against your girlfriend'."

"You broke up over a game of football?"

"We're Australian. Sport is like air to us." I laughed, "But it's not like your football. I lived near the Victorian border so we played AFL, or Aussie Rules. We actually use our feet."

"Hey! Our football is awesome, and we do use our feet."

"Sparingly."

"We still use our feet."

"Not enough."

The argument continued for a few more minutes until a howl split the calm atmosphere and we had to go our separate ways. Jacob was calling his pack together and Embry couldn't deny the request. I turned away from the border and headed back to the town.

"So, what do you think of your little brother?" I was surprised to see Paul, but somehow it didn't really shock me.

"He's cool." I walked past Paul, hoping to get back to the town as soon as possible.

Paul caught up and walked easily in step with me, "We need to talk."

"I don't think we do." I said quickly, praying that he would leave soon. Before I did something that I would regret.

"No, we definitely do." Paul murmured as he grabbed my elbow and spun me around so that I was facing him. My heart started racing straight away and it didn't slow down when he leant in to whisper in my ear, "About yesterday."

I pushed Paul away and his hand slipped from my arm, I felt a spark of regret that he hadn't been holding on tighter, "There's nothing to talk about." I turned away from him.

Paul reached out for my arm again, his hand closing tighter around my upper arm than it had my elbow and I was glad for it, "We have lots to talk about."

I twirled around to look Paul in the eye, trying to come across as angry as I could, "Like what?"

"Well, first, I have to ask you not to mention it to anyone." I didn't like the sound of that; he was embarrassed about having kissed me. Not that I was that surprised, I had all but thrown myself at him by phasing underneath him, "I don't want it getting back to Rachel before I get a chance to tell her."

Of course, he wanted to try to sort things out with Rachel. I don't know why that upset me so much, seeing how I should have foreseen that he wouldn't want to leave his imprint. Definitely not for someone like me, who was scarred and damaged.

"Secondly, we shouldn't be alone together for a while."

"What? Why?" I was thrown by Paul's strange list. I wasn't allowed to talk about what happened, which I wouldn't have anyway. And now, as if to rub it in, he was telling me he didn't want to be around me. That just seemed spiteful.

"Because if I'm around you, I want to do this."

I stumbled backwards as he pushed me towards the closest tree. For a few moments I was really confused as to what he was doing, until he lifted my chin with a gentle finger and pressed his lips against mine.

I didn't want to kiss back, I knew that I shouldn't, but I couldn't control my own body. At least this time we were wearing clothes.

Paul held my face in his slightly calloused hands as he intensified the kiss. I wrapped my arms around his waist and pulled his body closer to mine. No matter how hard I tried he was never close enough, there was never enough of our bodies touching.

He let go of my face and held onto the tree on either side of my head, pushing his hips into mine as he continued to deepen the kiss. I wasn't sure how much deeper this kiss could get but, like the proximity of our bodies, it didn't feel like enough.

Paul grunted as he pushed away from me, his breath short and heavy, as he looked at me with dark, hungry eyes. I guessed I wasn't the only one that enjoyed the moment. I looked to the side and noticed that the tree trunk was dinted where his hands had gripped it.

"I can't do that around the others."

I wouldn't have minded if he did, although I didn't tell him that, "Okay. Anything else?"

"Yeah, don't talk about dying again. You're not going to die. I won't let you."

Paul smiled a cheeky smirk and turned away from me, disappearing into the forest as I stood there, too stunned to follow.


	25. TMI

_**Gabby's POV**_

Now I was just pissed off.

It wasn't fair of Paul to do that. I'd thought I was a tease but I hadn't intentionally done it, Paul had. It was all I could think about and I didn't think that was appropriate considering the threat bearing down on us.

Sam and Jacob had coordinated so that Embry and I were patrolling the La Push-Forks border together and could play 'happy families' while working. It wasn't an easy feat, considering we both should have been in wolf form, but we couldn't talk then. We'd organised a system by which only one of use was in wolf form while the other carried the clothes, then at selected locations we would swap. It was annoying but it was the only thing we could think of.

Well, I had thought of something else but it was risky.

When Stendahl had strode into town he'd been in wolf form, so had I and that was how he knew who I was; because despite having never met the guy before, his voice sounded in my head like a radio without a volume dial. It was scary and frustrating and I'd never wanted it to happen again.

We may as well have been members of the same pack because no matter how I tried he read my mind, and I could read his – which was highly disturbing. It was not unexpected by the older shifters, they'd found that families could communicate far easier than no related individuals, and that made sense with the La Push shifters, all except Embry that was. His ease at reading their mind likely came from the wolf part of him.

Most of the shifters in my town were dingoes, which are naturally solitary predators, and they always had a harder time communicating and being 'understood' than the few wolves there. Seeing how my father was a dingo you'd have thought that everyone would have been suspicious of my heritage the moment I morphed for the first time. But seeing how my mother was Norwegian, and her father was a wolf, and my coat was so yellow, it was assumed I was just a more wolf like hybrid.

Embry was in human form at the moment and was telling me about when he'd first _phased_.

"It was really strange. Going from being friends with Jake and Quil, to essentially not being allowed to talk to them. I saw the way they looked at me, like I was a traitor but occasionally like they were worried I was doing drugs or something. That's what my mom thought for a long while.

"Until recently I think I'd convinced her that wasn't the case. But since we've started extra patrols again it feels like the old worries have come up again." He sounded upset about this and I wanted to give me a reassuring gesture but couldn't think of one that worked in wolf form.

Embry stopped and looked at me, "Do you want to swap?" He lifted the pile of clothes he held just to make sure I understood what he wanted.

I nodded and took the clothes in my mouth before ducking behind a tree. As I've said before I don't have an issue with nudity, anymore, but I wasn't sure the same could be said for Embry so I was modest about my phases around him.

By the time I came back Embry had already phased into his soft grey wolf. I swooped up the shorts and flung them over my shoulder. I'd been thinking about the whole family tie thing since I'd figured out who Embry was and suddenly I felt the urge to ask Embry about it.

"I have a theory." I stated emphatically as we started back along the border. I explained how thought sharing worked in my old pack, and what they had made of it. I even told him how Stendahl had been able to access my thoughts so easily.

It was at this point that I realised it was a bad idea. If Embry read all my thoughts than he would find out about both of my 'encounters' with Paul. And how would he feel if he read all the painful memories from my past, if he felt them? Now I had to go back on my almost suggestion, and try to find a way not to make it sound like I wanted to try it with Embry.

Embry ran forward and disappeared behind a tree. The next thing I knew he was sticking one arm out around the tree and waving at me, "Chuck me my shorts!" I obeyed and Embry burst out from around the tree.

"I'm willing to try it if you are."

"I don't know anymore. It's a bad idea." I was scrambling for a reason not to try it.

"Why? What have you got to hide?"

"I'm not hiding anything." I said, carefully choosing my timing so as not to answer too fast.

"Then why can't we try?" Embry sounded more than eager.

"What if you get hurt? We don't know how you'll react if the thoughts of my... of what Stendahl did to me get through."

"I don't mind. Please, I want to know what you know about Stendahl. I want to know the truth."

"Truth is relative." I grumbled and Embry looked confused, "My truth may not be the same as your truth. It certainly wouldn't be the same as Stendahl's truth."

"I don't care. I want to try it. Please." There was something about the way he said please that me feeling guilty to even think of denying him.

I shook my head but this time it was my mind that was not listening, "Alright. But I will back out the second it looks like it's hurting you."

"Perfect." Embry cried over his shoulder as he disappeared behind the same tree as before.

I stripped where I was and phased before Embry's furry face came bounding into view again. We sat opposite each other, as if sitting and staring at one another was somehow going to increase the likelihood of this working. We looked long and hard at each other.

'First day of school. First day of school. Lots of people. I don't really know anyone,' I thought, focusing on an innocent memory.

'What the hell are you doing?' Jared laughed in my head, but I ignored him.

'Old teacher. Old classroom. Room smelt of chalk.'

'Gabby? What the fuck?' Brady swore loudly, causing him and Jared to get into an argument about appropriate language.

I pushed them further out of my head and thought harder about my first day of school, while still trying to keep a metaphoric ear open for Embry's thought. It was hard. Exhausting. Trying to do two opposite things at once was like trying to push and pull a brick wall. Painful.

My ears were starting to ring and my memory was jumping from beginning to end to middle to end to beginning... I couldn't keep things in order.

I yelped in surprise when another thought poked through, Embry opening a birthday present, a Buzz Lightyear toy. I felt the excitement and the thrill and then a whole shit load of memories came flying through the imaginary hole that that one memory had created.

I wanted to phase but couldn't.

My head was thumping with the flurry of memories that flashed in my head. None of them made much sense, it was like a series of photos being shown to me with little explanation. On the top of that was the mumble of a million conversations, and the occasional squeal of delight made me flinch.

This had been a horrible idea.

It felt like memories were just flowing through me, as Embry's entire life flowed in and mine flowed out. I couldn't hear anything but the jumble of words and emotions. I saw nothing but the slideshow of random images that jumped from recent to barely within the realms of memory.

I dropped my body to the ground, pressing my heaving chest against the stone cold forest floor. The flow of memories had my head pulsing and thrumming. I couldn't feel my extremities. I was losing consciousness of my surroundings and time.

The thrum became a loud buzz, which became a dull roar and the culminated with a sudden, momentary clap, like thunder. Then nothing. I could not hear a single sound.

I feared that I had gone deaf until, 'Gabby? Can you hear me?'

It was Embry.

'Yeah. Crap that hurt.' I said with a heavy exhale. I couldn't catch my breath.

'You're telling me.' Embry sighed and I could feel in his thought that he had felt a lot worse than me. My memories of what Stendahl had done to me had broken through, despite my attempt to stop them.

'I'm so sorry.'

'It's alright. They hurt but... revenge is sweet, right?'

I sensed Embry's smile but it didn't make me feel any better, 'I'm sorry.'

'Don't be. I asked for this.'

Then I remembered why I'd thought this wouldn't be a good idea, 'Fuck. Paul.'

'Yeah... about that...' Embry didn't sound upset, he sounded inquisitive, 'what the hell?'

'I know, it's weird. But it was a mistake. Please, don't tell anyone about it.' I pleaded.

'I love to do that but I'm pretty certain it's not going to be possible. Jake is going to be pissed.'

'Why?'

'You don't know?' the bewilderment was thick in his thoughts, 'Jake is Rachel's brother.'

Now I was crazy pissed.

Jacob didn't like me as it was. I couldn't contain my disgust at him or his vein draining lover and her family. This was only going to make things worse. Paul must have known the Jacob wouldn't be happy about this, which was why he told me not to tell anyone. How could he have not told me that he was screwing the sister of the shifter that likes me the least? Or hates me the most? I wasn't sure which one it was but once he found out I was sure it would be the latter.

'Why can't I hear the others?' Embry's question broke my freak out session.

I tried to do the opposite of blocking everyone out and their voices exploded in my head, while the world burst back into existence around me.

'Gabriella?'

'Answer me Gabby!' Sam growled and I flinched at the sound.

'What the hell is going on?'

'See, school is dangerous.' I heard Brady say with half a laugh. It was clear he was concerned but didn't know what to do.

Embry lay in front of me, his eyes glued to mine. We were both more than stunned, we were astounded. It had worked, better than I'd expected.

'I'll try to keep it from Jacob. But only because I don't want my big sister killing my Alpha.' Embry chuckled and then got to his feet, 'Sorry, guys.'

'Yeah, sorry everyone.' I sighed as I shook my head and stumbled to my feet.

'Gabby told me that reading minds was a family based thing. I figured we should try it.' Embry explained.

'Can you guys hear that?' I asked Sam's pack.

'Hear what?' Sam snapped.

'Embry.' I whimpered.

'It sure as heck feels like it did.' Embry groaned and shook his head viciously.

'Of course not! Why? Can you?' Jared sounded both angry and excited.

'Ah... yeah, actually I can.' I mumbled.


	26. Concern

_**Gabby's POV**_

I was sitting in my room at Sam and Emily's.

Mine and Embry's little test to see if we could communicate with each other had cause quite a stir. Sam and Jacob were off talking it over and they had ordered me and Embry to our respective houses. I didn't really have anywhere else to go so I was happy to crash in my room. That was almost six hours ago.

Emily – who wasn't aware of what happened – had invited me to Port Angeles, with her, Kim and Rachel, which I had quickly declined. Even if Rachel hadn't been going – and I wasn't looking at being in a fuck load of trouble - there was no way that I would join them on their shopping excursion, I had never liked shopping.

Despite being angry at me I was allowed to come back to town alone.

It was nice not having someone following me everywhere. So now I could lounge around my room, doing whatever I wanted without worrying what my babysitter thought about it. I found myself relaxing better because I didn't feel like I was taking up time from others, even though I was a little worried that Sam was going to lose it when he got back.

My bedroom door opened and a shadow darted in before the door closed softly. I was lying on my back on the dog bed with my feet pushed up into the corner of the walls. I rolled my head back, leaning most of my weight on the top of my skull, in order to see who had burst into my room.

I didn't know how to react to him, whether to be angry or happy to see him. I wanted to punch him, to yell at him to leave me alone, but another part, just big enough to fight my anger, wanted to let him stay, to listen to him talk.

Paul strolled over to the bed and sat down at the foot, taping the mattress beside me to call me over to him. I just stared at him, knowing that I shouldn't sit next to him. He shouldn't even be in here, he'd said that himself.

"I was worried about you."

"Oh, fuck off Paul." I snapped, he was confusing the crap out of me. First we weren't allowed to be alone together and now he thought I was avoiding him.

"There's no need to be mean." Paul pulled an over exaggerated frown.

I relaxed and slumped into the dog bed, rolling onto my hands and knees so I could look at him right way up. Sitting back on my calves I could feel the anger starting to heat the blood in my veins, "You can't do this. You can't tell me to leave you alone and then burst in here alone. It's not fair."

"You're trying to tell me what's not fair? What's not fair is that I would give anything to touch you but can't because it might hurt Rachel. I shouldn't really care but I do."

"So that's my fault? You're going to torture me because you're worried you might hurt the woman that's leaving you." My blood was getting hotter every moment that I spent with him.

"It's complicated." Paul sighed.

"Well, I don't like complicated. I don't need any more complicate in my life. So please, Paul, leave."

"I can't."

"You fucking can, you're just being an arse and don't want to." I stood up and glared at him.

"I love the way you say 'arse'." Paul smiled as he stood up and made to step towards me.

"Don't! Seriously Paul, I'm not going to be the other woman. You're either with me or you're with Rachel. You can't have both."

"I don't want both." Paul's voice was strong but gentle, and he ignored my request for him to stop so that he could stand before me, "I'm going to talk to Rachel tonight. I promise."

"Then come back tomorrow. I don't want you around while you're still her boyfriend."

"Why?" He asked simply as he ran the back of his fingers across my cheek, it angered me how much I loved the feel of his touch.

"You know damn well why." I pushed him away. It was either that or... I don't want to think of what I'd have done if I hadn't pushed him away.

"It's as good as over, why can't we make the most of chances when we get them?"

"Because she still thinks you're together."

"No she doesn't!" Paul yelled and his hands started to shake, "She's leaving me, remember? We are already over."

"Then why do you have to talk to her, huh?"

"Because it seems like the polite thing to do."

"Fucking hell, Paul." I pushed him in the chest, knowing full well that he was getting angry but not caring enough to restrain myself, "Either we can or can't be alone together. And at the moment I'm thinking it's a 'can't'. How am I supposed to understand you when you can't even follow your own requests?"

"Rachel is leaving me for another guy. It's not like she's innocent in this whole thing."

Paul wasn't the only one starting to tremble now and I thought of how it would feel to punch him in his overly attractive face, "Two wrongs don't make a right. Have you actually broken up with her? Does she still call you her boyfriend?"

"To other people she does but betw-" Paul started but I didn't care for his excuses.

"But nothing. Sort all this out because if you do this," I gestured around the room to indicate that we were alone, "before she's stopped calling you 'her boyfriend' then I will make you regret it."

I opened the door and motioned for him to leave.

Once he was in the hall I slammed the door shut and my heart sunk.

It wasn't fair. I wanted to have been able to enjoy being with Paul. I'd wanted that encounter to end the same way the last two had. But at the moment the thought of seeing Paul annoyed me. I couldn't stand the thought of having to sneak around behind Rachel's back and I knew that was why he'd come over.

Rachel wasn't home, she was in Port Angeles; so whatever we did there was no risk of her walking in. The fact that that would even be a consideration against being with Paul only made me angrier with him.

Why couldn't it be simple? Why couldn't Paul have never imprinted or Rachel have already left? Why did I always want what I couldn't have?

_**Paul's POV**_

I stood staring at Gabby's bedroom door. That had not gone anywhere near how I had wanted it to.

The plan had been to walk in there and have her smile at me. To have her sit beside me so that we could just be together. I didn't want to do anything sleazy or inappropriate, I just wanted to be near her. I wanted to support her because what we'd just heard was beyond weird.

I turned towards the backdoor of Sam's house and started the short walk back to mine and Rachel's. Well, mine really; seeing how Rachel was leaving this coming weekend. She was so close to gone and it felt like I was the only one that knew. She still hadn't told Billy or Jacob, no doubt they would hold me responsible. But I wasn't concerned about that, Gabby was all that mattered to me at the moment. And now she was angry at me.

I didn't blame her for how she was thinking; I had probably been a little hasty in telling her we couldn't be alone together. Part of me thought it would be romantic for me to have said we shouldn't but then gone against it, like I was breaking a rule that shouldn't be broken.

Who was I kidding? Of course, Gabby wouldn't be the sort of girl who would like that sort of thing.

I just couldn't stand not knowing whether or not she was alright. She'd looked like she'd passed out when we'd come across her and Embry in the woods. And I was so worried that she was hurt. Several of the others had found my concern a little over the top but I had ignored them, Gabby was my only worry.

I just wanted her to be alright. I just want her to be happy.

I'd heard her thoughts the other day, as she'd patrolled with Collin. And she'd sounded happy although a little down trodden. I'd thought hearing her would have been enough but it wasn't. I needed to be around her, needed to see her face and her beautiful body.

At least it was Collin she was patrolling with. I don't think I could handle Brady being around her. He was a good guy and had taken her rejection well but the thought that she'd had to reject him made me angry. He'd done it to try and help me stop thinking about Gabby, like her being with him would change how I felt.

I didn't like how things were working out but there was no way that her being with someone else was going to make things any better. The thought of it made me sick. The thought of anyone, ever, touching her the way I wanted to...

And now I felt like an even bigger dick.

While I was fuming over Brady thinking about being with Gabby, I was still technically with Rachel. It wasn't like I was still sleeping with Rachel, we shared a bed but it was just habit. We slept on opposite edges and never touched anymore. Still, it couldn't be easy for Gabby, thinking that me and Rachel were still a true couple.

I reach my front door and walked in. I wasn't concerned with theft because not only was it insanely rare in La Push, but I was a shifter. I could easily phase and track down the perpetrator. I really wasn't worried about anything like that.

There were boxes lining the hall and the bedroom light was on. Rachel was home. I hadn't expected her home so early but I figured this was as good a time as any.

"Rachel?"

"In the bedroom." She called back.

I opened the door and found her standing by the closet, looking at herself in the mirror as she held a dress against her front. She smiled in the mirror as I walked in, she had a lovely smile. This was why I didn't want to talk to Rachel about it. When she wasn't around I wasn't concerned with her reaction, but when I saw that delicate face... I couldn't dream of hurting her.

"We need to talk." I said as I sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Is it about Gabby?" Rachel asked softly as she put the dress down on the bed and looked up at me.

To say I was shocked was a little bit of an understatement, "Kind of."

"Okay, then maybe you should tell me more." She pulled her feet up onto the bed and sat with her legs crossed.


	27. Lessons

_Author's Note:_

_I've decided to do this because I feel that Rachel is coming off as the bad guy which I was kind of hoping she wouldn't so here it is..._

_**Gabby's POV**_

"Gabby! Come out here, please!" I heard Sam bellow as he entered the house.

My hearing was good enough that I heard Emily's response as she slapped his shoulder, "Freaking hell, Sam. There's no need to yell so loud."

I slunk from my room and down the hall, full of concern about what was awaiting me. I wondered how many people would be there to witness Sam's lecture, if there would be anyone else there. It was a shock to enter the room and see that many people looking back at me.

Sam and his entire pack were crammed into the far corner of the living room, Jacob and his were in the corner opposite. It was scary how many shifters could fit in such a small space. Emily and Kim were sitting by the door, looking very awkward as they waited. Old Quil and Sue were seated, in relative comfort, on the two seater between Jacob's pack and the door, while Billy's wheelchair was parked closest to me, beside the couch.

I decided to stay beside the door, in case anyone got overly angry.

"How did you do it?" Sam snapped and it took me a few seconds to figure out what he was talking about.

"I don't know the technicalities but it was known in our pack that relatives heard more, or at least heard it easier, than none relatives." I gulped, this was something I hadn't told them. Just one of many things that I didn't believe was important enough to tell them.

"So, now you and Embry are linked?" the young Quil asked as he leant on Embry's shoulder.

Embry smiled meekly and looked down at the floor, I wondered what he'd done that would make him so embarrassed.

"I guess so." I couldn't look away from Embry, as I tried to figure what he may have let slip. My stomach dropped at the thought that they all knew about the Paul thing.

"Is there anything you want to tell us?" Jacob pried with curiosity clear in his words.

"I don't think so."

"Is there anything you know that we may find helpful?" Sam added, as if rephrasing the question would get a different response.

"No." Maybe if I was more defiant they would listen to me and put this line of questioning behind them.

"Embry?" Sam turned to Embry, as did everyone else in the room.

"Yes?" Embry raised his head slightly to look at Sam.

"Is there anything you can think of that she hasn't told us?" Jacob growled, he seemed to be getting agitated about something.

"Umm..." Embry thought for a moment and then rubbed his temple, "Vampire venom stings like a son of a bitch. Sorry, Quil Sr." He added with a sincere look at the three true adults that sat on the couch.

"I did say that those might hurt." I added with a direct glare at Embry.

"You knew he'd get hurt?" Leah gasped.

"No, I said that I'd try not to show him those in case they did. I didn't think that everything would be swapped."

"She did warn me. I honestly didn't think it would hurt that much though. I figured since they were old you would have... I don't know, forgotten." It was like we were only half talking to the others, as we kept falling back into our own little conversation.

"Give it time." I mumbled.

"So they stop hurting?" Embry seemed relieved.

"Not quite. You just get used to the pain." I shrugged at him in a helpless way, hoping to convey that I felt bad for what happened.

There was the sound of scrabbling feet on the path outside before anyone else could say anything else and everyone's head snapped towards the front door. I stepped back out of the room to look out the window of the door, and my jaw clenched in anger.

_**Rachel's POV**_

I sat, watching Paul carefully. I knew from the day that Gabby showed up that he liked her, even if he didn't want to admit it. She was so much like him that there was almost no way they couldn't like each other.

It had killed me to see Paul moping around the town after I'd told him that I had to leave. He'd worked his ass off to gain control his temper, and he'd tried so hard to get away from Sam and the pack. I had watched as our relationship slowly crumbled to nothing and Paul started slipping back.

I loved Paul.

I knew that I always would but I couldn't stay in La Push. Everything about it made me think of my mother's death and I just couldn't stand the constant reminders. Paul could feel my pain and it had cut him up. When we were planning to move everything got better.

When moving became more imminent everything went to hell. It wasn't Paul's fault, he put so much effort into trying to make me happy. He exhausted himself which made me angry at myself, which made him want to work harder to make me happy.

I knew I couldn't keep doing it to him, I couldn't keep wearing him down and causing him pain. I loved him too much to do that. So I figured that if I left alone he would get better, it was horrible to consider not being around him but it was better than watching him burn out.

Paul was just at the part where he'd kissed Gabby and, I knew I shouldn't but part of me did feel a little hurt.

I hadn't cheated, physically, on Paul. I hadn't kissed John since he came back and somehow I felt a little betrayed. Not so much so that I would tell Paul that I was hurting. Compared to what I've done to him it really couldn't be considered pain at all.

When John had come to see me I knew he'd done it to check if things were working between me and Paul. I had loved John before I met Paul, I had been infatuated with the man and I'd chosen to be so. I think that was why John's arrival had caused the problems it had, because when it came down to it I chose John, I never got the chance to choose Paul; it was more like unintentional emotional blackmail.

I loved John and I loved Paul. But I had to choose one. When you're imprinted on it is glorious, to meet someone you feel an instant attraction to and know that they feel the exact same way. It was so much better than love at first sight, which is what I had with John. Paul hadn't meant it to be blackmail but the options were as followed: be with the one you've wanted for years but always feel disconnected from everyone or be with the one the you never knew you wanted.

The only problem was the imprinting is beyond intense, like flying, but when things aren't working, as they weren't with me and Paul, it was like drowning; every, every slowly.

John had represented everything that I wanted. He was the original one that I'd chosen. I had hundreds, probably thousands, of great memories with John. I had a safe, reliable future with John. I still loved John.

With my relationship with Paul falling apart I clung to my relationship with John like it was a life raft. I saw it hurting Paul but it seemed like that was all I could do to Paul nowadays. When I wasn't with John I was miserable and Paul was hurting. When I was with John I wasn't perfectly happy but I was better and Paul was hurting.

I couldn't keep hurting Paul forever so I told him I wanted to leave alone.

"I was hoping that you'd be in New York and happy before I ever found someone else but... I really like Gabby." Paul finished but he wasn't able to look at me.

I smiled a pained smile, I didn't want Paul to be ashamed of his feelings; he deserved to be happy. I reached over the bed and grabbed his hand, "You love her." It wasn't a question, not to me.

"I love you too."

"Well, ignore that. I'm a big girl; I can handle you loving someone else. What I can't handle is seeing you so torn." I wanted to cry but knew that that would only confuse Paul. He never knew what to do when people were crying.

Paul looked up at me, his eyes shining with tears that I knew he wouldn't let fall. It had always made me laugh how macho Paul acted, even when he didn't feel it. I didn't feel like laughing now, not when I was so aware of the trouble I was stirring in Paul.

He didn't deserve this.

I clasped my hand around his and got off the bed. Leading him out of our room, out of our house and down the street, I knew Paul was unsure of what was going on but he followed silently. It only took a few minutes to get to the intended destination but no one was there.

"What are we doing here?" Paul asked as I peeped through the window.

I didn't answer him as I turned around and headed back to the main street. He was strong enough to stop me and demand an answer but he didn't, I wasn't sure whether that was from confusion or shock but I wasn't going to question it.

I stopped halfway down the main residential street, from here I could see that Sue was either out or fast asleep. It took me a few moments to figure out where to check next and despite really not wanting to be around a dozen shifters at the moment, I knew what I had to do.


	28. Inside Voices, Please

_**Paul's POV**_

Rachel didn't even stop to knock as we reached the threshold of Sam and Emily's. She just burst through the front door and swung to the right towards the living room. In her made rush she almost knocked Gabby off her feet.

She would have if Gabby wasn't a shifter and hadn't had the senses to jump out of the way. Now Gabby was standing in the middle of the room, which made her anxious. She hurried into the only free corner and sat next to Kim. I smiled at her but she ignored me.

"I need to talk to you." Rachel huffed as she looked at her father, then turned to her brother, "You too."

"What is it, Rachel?" Jacob looked concerned and he stepped away from his pack and closer to his sister.

"I think it's better we discuss this in private." Rachel was starting to catch her breath but she still sounded puffed.

"Okay." Billy said as he reached to pull the brakes off his wheelchair.

"There's no point." Jacob argued, "My pack will find out next time I phase as will Sam's when Paul phases."

Rachel squeezed my hand, tight. She didn't want to tell everyone, whatever it was she wanted to tell her family. I hoped it was about John but I couldn't be sure.

"If you wish." Rachel conceded and cast me a sad look over her shoulder. I squeezed her hand back, being careful not to squeeze too tight, "I'm leaving."

"Again?" Jacob rolled his eyes and stepped back in line with his pack.

I started to shake with anger but Rachel squeezed my hand again and I started to relax.

"No, this time it's going to work." Rachel gulped, "This time I'm going without Paul."

It sounded like the whole room gasped, but I didn't know why that would be, my pack knew about this already.

"How is that possible?" Jacob spat and glared at me.

I wanted to yell back at him but I knew that whatever I said I would likely hurt Rachel, or Gabby. I wondered how Gabby must feel about all this and I couldn't stop myself from looking over my shoulder at her. She wasn't looking at me; she was staring at the wall beside her. My chest tightened.

"This isn't his fault." Rachel growled.

Jacob ignored his sister and yelled at me, "Why are you looking at Gabby?"

I turned to face Jacob at break neck speeds, "Don't yell at me."

"Oh, oh. Nice..." Jacob's voice was icy cold, "My sister decides to leave so you throw yourself at that... that..."

"Jake!" Billy growled before turning to his daughter, "Are you sure that's what you want?"

Rachel turned to her father and smiled, "Yes."

"Without Paul?" Billy looked calm but I had a feeling he was not happy that Rachel was leaving, again.

"Paul can't leave. I can't stay. There isn't really another option." Rachel sighed.

"I thought you were used to being home." The calm broke and Billy sounded hurt.

Rachel went on the tell her father how much she wanted to want to stay, but I wasn't concerned with that. I was worried about Gabby, who was shaking in the corner and unable to catch anyone's eye. It wasn't angry shaking, it was somehow different. It looked strange, like it wasn't a real type of shake. But something told me there was a great risk of her phasing at any moment.

I looked to Sam and he seemed to have noticed the same thing. He was about to get out of his seat but seemed to decide against it, instead pushing Jared out of his seat towards Gabby.

Jared didn't need any explanation, he got up straight away and crept over to Gabby. She didn't seem to notice him so he touched her shoulder. It was not recommended to touch Gabby, as she had a severe distaste for most forms of contact. Now wasn't any different and she swatted Jared's arm away with such force that it hit Kim's arm chair and dinted one of the wooden supports in the arm.

Kim gasped and Jared turned his attention to soothing her. She whispered something to him and he turned back to Gabby.

I didn't get to see anything else because suddenly Jacob was yelling at me again, "This is your fault! And what the fuck is your problem? Rachel is telling us that she's leaving and all your concerned with is Gabby?"

"I didn't do anything." I growled.

This didn't appease Jake at all, "Then maybe you should have done something!"

"I tried. We both did. And I don't think you can stand there and yell at me about this, seeing how you didn't want me to be with Rachel to begin with."

"Stop it!" Rachel screeched but Jacob wasn't listening and continued to yell at me.

I looked over my shoulder, as Jacob yelled about me spending too much time with Gabby, and found the corner empty. Both Jared and Gabby were gone.

_**Gabby's POV**_

I was thankful for Jared's approach as it allowed me to concentrate on something other than my own embarrassment.

He'd eventually convinced me that we could leave the room without causing too much of a scene and now we were sitting by the edge of the woods in silence.

I'd never felt so stupid and childish before. Hearing Jacob yelling had set my nerves on fire and I'd wanted to phase and sink my teeth into whatever part of him I could reach. Either him or Paul.

I was angry with Paul when I'd been called into the living room. When he'd burst into the room with Rachel, holding hands, I could barely rein in the resentment. All I wanted to do was morph. Even if I didn't attack anyone, morphing always calmed me down. Because when I morphed I could be confident in my own safety.

Once we'd left Sam's house and the cool evening air hit me I felt the anger wash away. I was still tense and anxious, since living as a wolf raised voices had a greater affect on me than they used to. Particularly when I didn't have the right to yell back or get them to stop.

The anxiety didn't wane until we were far enough away for the words to just be indistinguishable. So that was why we sat here, a few feet from the tree line.

"Are you okay?" Jared whispered, I think he was afraid that I was about to phase and have a go at him.

"I'm alright now. Thank-you."

I finished with a sigh as I noticed someone open the back door of Sam's place and look around. When they noticed us they jumped down the couple of steps and started to run towards up. I didn't want to talk to anyone but I didn't have the will to yell at whoever it was to back off.

Embry closed the last few metres between us at a trot, before coming to stand beside me and fall to the ground. He sat closer to me than I normally allowed people to sit but with Jared on my other side I just accepted it.

"Nice night." Embry said and I wasn't sure if he meant it as a question.

So I didn't answer.

There was a few minutes of silence until Embry couldn't take it any longer, "Was it the noise?"

I nodded.

"It really wasn't the time or place for that." Jared murmured.

"Tell me about it." I was starting to think that Embry didn't know how to whisper very well because he was always louder than necessary, "Jake's just a little pissed at the moment. There's like two dozen vampires at the Cullens' at the moment."

"So they were successful finding help?" Jared sounded impressed.

"Yeah." Embry didn't sound as impressed, "It reeks over there. Oh, Jake doesn't blame you for freaking out about the Cullens, as much anymore." I looked at him with eyebrows raised in question, "Seeing how he can read my mind he saw how you felt about vampires. They really stink to you don't they?"

After a few more moments of relative silence, we could hear the murmur of an argument coming from Sam's, Jared moved to sit partially in front of us, so that he could see both our faces, "How much of each other's memories did you get?"

"All, I think." Embry looked as curious as I felt.

"Then you saw..." Jared was looking at Embry now and didn't know how to continue, "Gabby and Paul?"

Embry nodded, "Yeah. It's been fun trying to think of everything but that." He finished with deep sarcasm and I felt bad for putting him in that situation.

"Well, after tonight it won't matter. Will it?" Jared sighed and looked back at the house.

"Possibly, if he realises it happened before Rachel left." Embry shrugged and looked at me, "He's pissed off at Paul, not you."

"But not because he knows about... that." It was clear that Jared was concerned about Jacob finding out about the kiss. I wondered whether Jared knew about both kisses.

"No, actually. I don't know how but they haven't heard about any of it yet. I do have to say the whole Brady thing is more than a little funny."

"Oh, him asking Gabby out? Yeah, I told him it wouldn't work but he was trying to help Paul." I shot a confused look at Jared and he laughed, "Brady thought that if you were in another relationship than Paul wouldn't be attracted to you. He also did mind that it meant he could ask you out without feeling like a jerk."

I shook my head and went back to quietly waiting for the argument to end, while Embry and Jared laughed and joked about a variety of things. I never paid that much attention to them.


	29. Official Secret

_**Gabby's POV**_

The next day I was on patrol in the morning and then given the evening off.

When I got back in the early afternoon the house was empty, not that I was complaining. I hid myself in my room, lying on the dog bed in wolf form and slipping in and out of sleep. I liked it, it reminded me of when I was travelling.

When Stendahl wasn't on my trail I would make myself silly little targets. Things like, finish crossing the desert before the sun came up or make it to the nearest arboreal forest before nightfall. If I was able to do that then I would take a few hours off to just nap and relax. It was one of the few things that helped me make my way through the constant bore of heading south or heading north.

Later in the afternoon Emily came home with a car full of grocery bags. I helped her unload them from the vehicle and put away what I could.

She'd tried to talk to me about the night before and I'd had to admit to her that I didn't really remember what had happened. After Paul and Rachel had walked in, hand in hand, I had been too angry to listen to what was being said. Emily decided to give me the low down but I got stuck on one of the first things she told me.

Rachel had told, everyone, that she was leaving and that her and Paul were breaking up because of it.

So I spent the hour it took for Emily to make dinner, thinking about Paul. I hated him for always being on my mind but I couldn't shake the thought of him. I wondered how it was that he could go from being nothing more than an annoying prick to being all I could think about in the space of just a day, it had really only taken a few minutes but that was even more confusing.

I ate a small serve of dinner and then cleaned the dishes, it was my way of not feeling like I was a lazy bitch that just expected Emily to cook my meals while I did nothing all day. After that I disappeared back to my room, so that I could wallow a little more in my own uncertainty.

The sun had well and truly set by the time I'd decided that I had to stop being so stupid. If Paul was even half interested in me, which I wasn't sure if he was, the ball was in his court and I would have to wait to see how it played out.

I hadn't expected the play to be as quick as it was.

I was about to morph when the door swung open and Paul strutted into the room, kicking the door shut with a little more force than was necessary. The temptation was to yell at him and tell him to leave but I never got a chance to say anything.

He was standing in front of me half a second after the door opened and his lips crushed against mine before I really had time to think about what was happening. As had happened last time he kissed me, my body betrayed me and gave into him instantaneously. I would have kicked myself if I wasn't so lost in the moment.

Paul had one hand holding my neck so I couldn't pull away, not that I wanted to, while the other cupped my cheek. The caress of his hands stirred the butterflies in my stomach. The feel of his chiselled muscles pressed against my not quite so chiselled body had my insides squirming with delight.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and clung to him like he was the only reason for my existence. My knees weakened, which was a first for me, and we stumbled backwards, colliding heavily with the wall but never once breaking the embrace.

Paul huffed a laugh that quickly turned into a lusty groan. I loved that sound and moaned in response. Paul pressed his body against mine, and being pinned between him and the wall was one of the best feelings I'd ever felt. Our bodies touching more than ever, or would be if I wasn't wearing clothes.

He moved the kiss from my lips, down along my jaw line to my collar bone, where he sucked and nibbled on the skin. I loved what he was doing to my body. His touch burned across my skin and I was happy to burn for this. He kissed back up my neck as his excitement made itself known against my thigh. I ran my hand up into his hair and took a hold of it.

Encircling his hips with my legs, he ground his hips into mine. I let out a loud groan that Paul quickly muffled by kissing my lips, forcefully. He trailed his fingertips from my cheek down my left side to the small of my back. Pulling me from the wall he walked us over to the bed, without pausing the kiss even momentarily.

We fell onto the bed and Paul's weight landed on me, forcing a lust filled grunt from me. The hand that was on my hip started inching its way up and under my shirt, making my skin prickle with excitement.

I gripped his hair tighter as I took my chance to explore his handsome face. His hand found my breast and he kneaded it roughly, causing me to gasp and growl as I kissed his jaw. I felt the smile spread across his face as he tweaked my nipple and made me shudder.

"This is how it should be." He breathed and the feel of his hot breath in my hair excited me, with an even bigger smile he moved down the bed, "Come here."

He took my lips in another passionate embrace while the hand that still held my neck moved up to grasp my hair. Paul's hips pressed against mine again, his hard member rubbing against my centre. I gasped.

It took every ounce of strength I had to push Paul away, to break the kiss that I felt I had always wanted, "We shouldn't." I gulped as I fought myself not to pull him back to me.

"But... I spoke to Rachel. She knows everything, she's fine with it." Paul's eyes were hungry and I wanted nothing more than the let him 'eat' but something just didn't feel right.

"That's not why." I couldn't look at him, if I did than I would give in to my more primal instincts.

"Then why?" Paul asked softly as he dropped his lips to my jaw and sucked on the delicate flesh.

I moaned at the feel, if he kept doing that I wouldn't be able to control myself, "Please, Paul. Give me some time."

Paul obeyed and pulled back, I could still feel his erection against my leg and I really didn't want to stop. But there was something about this that didn't feel right. Something that would ruin the memory if I didn't figure out what it was.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No," I gasped and looked up at him, he looked hurt, "you were doing everything right. This isn't about you, it's about me."

"You mean it's about your old life." He pressed his forehead against mine and sighed.

"Maybe, just a little."

"Okay."

"What?" I couldn't suppress my shock at his sudden acceptance.

"I said, okay." He leant back to look in my eyes, taking his index finger and trailing it along the outline of my face, "I like you. A lot. If you need time, I'll give you time."

I let out my breath slowly, now I was amazed at him. I don't think any of my past boyfriends had ever been this considerate about anything. He'd lifted most of his weight off me so I slid along the bed to sit in front of him. He kissed my forehead and rolled towards the foot of the bed to free my legs.

I scooted up the bed to lean against the bed head, and Paul crawled up to lie down beside me. I'd never been one for gentle loving moments but there was something about the way Paul's hand grazed across my skin that set my heart fluttering. And the occasional kiss that he brushed against my face and neck caused my skin to tingle with excitement.

But, in my typical self-defeating way, I had a question to ask that I just couldn't keep inside, "I thought Rachel was your imprint, how can you want to be with me?"

He kissed my cheek bone, "Honestly... no one really knows. All I know is that I want you, not her. And she is good with that."

I smiled at him and tried to read his expression. There was a small part of me that was afraid he didn't actually like me and this was some horrible accident. I didn't get a hint of that; all I saw was honest, simple... I wasn't sure what it was but it was honest and simple.

"I seem to have elicited more questions than I've answered." I laughed gently as Paul kissed my jaw, just below my earlobe. My laugh was cut short by a longing sigh and Paul kissed harder. I wriggled away from him, concerned he might get a little too into it, but trying to be as playful as possible.

"You elicit a lot of things." Paul's voice was husky and it made me feel bad, seeing how I wasn't willing to go much further than kissing at the moment.

"Paul." I sighed, "I'm sorry, I just-"

Paul ended my sentence by placing a strong kiss on my lips, I smiled and kissed back.

I didn't like it when he pulled back, "I said I didn't mind waiting. I meant that I don't mind waiting. It's probably for the best for the moment. Seeing how Embry can hear your thoughts, we don't want him hearing this."

That was when it hit me and my face fell.

Paul noticed, "Gabby? What's wrong?"

"Um... Embry can't just hear what I'm thinking." I gave Paul half a smile but it didn't lessen the concern on his face, "He knows."

"About us?" I nodded and Paul stared at me for a moment, "It's alright. If Jacob finds out then we'll deal with it then."

"How can you be so calm about this?"

"Easy. I know I can beat him and if I can't I'd expect you to be the good girlfriend and take him down a few pegs yourself." He said with a broad smile.

I didn't smile, "Girlfriend?"

Paul's mirth disappeared and concern scribbled itself over his beautifully sharp face, "Yeah. Well, I thought that's what this was."

I didn't say anything, just stared into his intense brown eyes and thought about being his 'girlfriend'. I couldn't remember ever being in a relationship that came this quickly out of the blue. In fact I was fairly sure a lot of the guys that I'd had a relationship with hadn't wanted to call me their girlfriend this fast. I didn't think I'd ever called any of them my boyfriend this quickly.

But I liked how it sounded. Me being Paul's girlfriend, him being my boyfriend. The thought of it made me smile.

"Of course." I whispered and kissed him gently on the lips.

Considering how we'd just gotten here, that was a bad idea. Neither of us were content with just a simple kiss and before I knew it he was lying half on top of me again. Conjuring up the glorious emotions and feelings he'd evoked before.


	30. Blocked

_**Gabby's POV**_

Paul and I were not allowed to patrol together. We weren't even allowed to be on patrol at the same time.

Sam originally said that it was because he didn't want us to get distracted by one another but the next time he phased it became clear that wasn't the whole story. Sam didn't trust us having too much free time together, he wanted to make sure Rachel was well and truly gone before our feelings became public knowledge.

I understood. Paul didn't.

Since Jacob was informed that Rachel would be leaving he had been quite irritated with Paul, to the point where he didn't want to see Paul when he went to visit his sister or his father. Paul conceded to Jacob's request and would spend that time either patrolling or hanging around Sam's house.

Paul spent a lot of time at Sam's now, even when Jacob was on his own territory. I knew it was because it meant that he could be there when I got off patrol and we could spend about five minutes together before he went on patrol.

I wasn't an overly affectionate sort of person and it was quite easy for me to spend too much time around someone else. As a result I'd requested that Paul only hang around Sam's before his patrol.

I will be honest. I was afraid. Afraid that if we spent too much time together than Paul would change his mind and leave me. While I would survive such a thing I didn't want to have to go through it, at least not at the moment.

But Paul was surprisingly sweet about it. And while he wanted to spend every minute of every day with me, he backed off because I didn't want that. It annoyed me that he put it all down to my life in wolf form and commitment issues that resulted from the turmoil that was my paternity.

It was easiest to let him think that but the truth was that the awkward feeling I'd gotten the first time we were 'allowed' to be together had not let up. It didn't ruin the time I spent with him, it just made sure that the moments didn't go as far as either of us really wanted.

I was patrolling with Embry along the northern border. He'd received permission from both alpha's to temporarily return to the La Push territory because he was struggling to deal with the smell of the vampires since he'd been swamped by my memories.

It wouldn't be a problem if it weren't for the fact that shifters have insanely good memories and it takes a long time to repress any unpleasant memories, like having vampires drip their venom in your wounds. It may not have happened to Embry but my memories were so clear and now they were fresh in his mind that he couldn't handle the smell.

'Anything in the north?' Jared wondered as he sniffed at another scent mark along the southern border.

'Not so far.' I thought back; Embry could only hear me, and occasionally Sam, so all pack communications had to go through me. Another reason why I was with Embry and not someone else.

'Was that for the others?' Embry thought and I sent back a positive response. 'I hate not being able to hear them. It's really awkward to hear only half the conversation.'

'Hey, I get that when you communicate with your pack.' I defended the wave of emotion that suggested he was alone in his feelings.

'I guess. So, how are things going with you?' It was a code that Embry had concocted so that he could ask about Paul without his pack becoming suspicious. I didn't like it much because it was something I would rather keep to myself, but seeing how Embry heard everything I didn't want him to hear it didn't much matter.

'Good.' I didn't go into detail because I knew he would have already seen and felt it all.

'It feels like we've been doing double patrols for ages now. Do you ever think we're going to be able to back off?'

'Not until after Stendahl.' I sighed.

'You mean not until we beat the shit out of Stendahl and his stupid army.' Collin crooned from the stream that threaded along the southern border for a few kilometres. He was patrolling with Jared this morning.

'Don't get too confident, Collin. True warriors show humility and can accept their flaws.' I thought back in the least confrontational way possible.

'Let him have confidence.' Jared laughed, 'You don't want to give him a complex.'

'Am I not the first person to comment on his confidence?'

'Oh, you're the first. And the second and third and fourth. How many times have you had a go at his confidence?' Jared mock pried.

'The first three times were blanket comments for the whole pack not just Collin, so if it affects him it must affect you all.'

'Technicality, you're just-' Jared stopped and sniffed, 'I've got one.'

'We'll be there in-' I started but Embry suddenly intruded.

'There's one here. A shifter.'

I turned to Embry and he was staring towards the town of La Push, while sniffing at the ground. His tail was held out straight behind him and his eyes narrowed as he assessed the scent some more.

'I don't know this shifter.'

'There's another!' Brady bellowed, he and Shane were on their way to meet with Collin and Jared when they came across this one.

'Leah found one on the Cullen's territory too.' Embry relayed and he looked to me for some sign of what to do.

'Follow the scent. Find the shifters.' Jared ordered as he started a long loud howl.

We had only just started our trek through the forest in the direction of the scent when the rest of Sam's pack began phasing and fanning out from the town. Wolves were howling and whining as they ran, slightly panicked, into the misty forest. Thoughts were echoing from every direction and focusing on a plethora of different facts.

It was total chaos until Sam phased.

'Brady, Shane, keep following your trail. Collin and Jared, Gabby and Embry, same to you. Everyone else just settle. Paul, you're with Brady and Shane. Philip, you're with Collin and Jared. The rest of you need to stay here and watch the town.'

Paul and Philip took off as they were ordered to. And Sam turned away from the town to join me and Embry. Everyone else did as they were told and calmed down, to the point that they were barely thinking, which allowed those of us chasing scents to concentrate more.

The trail weaved through the forest and was so clear that it may as well have been a highway running between the trees. Embry was faster than me, as most were, and I could run as swiftly as I normally did because I had to concentrate so hard on the scent.

There was something about it. About the dull, musky menthol smell that I couldn't help but find familiar. I felt the concern from the others at that thought and sent out the reassuring thought that it wasn't Stendahl. No, this scent was far friendlier. I knew it from somewhere but I couldn't place it.

Sam caught up with Embry and the two spread out slightly to make sure they could pin point the path the scent was taking, because it was hard to navigate with this mist.

As if it realised the pain it was being the fog lifted and I could see well past the two towards the small dark dot that indicated the stranger.

Sam's ears pricked and his tail raised just above horizontal. Embry's ears twitched back and were pinned to his neck as he pulled up his lips to bare his teeth that the threat, although there was no way the threat could see that.

It didn't take long for the stranger to realise we were coming and it turned to run. The only problem was we were already at full speed and it was a slow starter. After a few kilometres it gave up running, as the gap had closed to the point where running was just using energy and prolonging the inevitable.

The stranger was a rich amber coloured... dog. Not a wolf as was expected but something definitely more _canis familiaris_. His head was rounder than a wolf's, his body slightly shorter than Embry's although he was stockier than either of the male wolves he was faced with. The ears of the stranger were broader and closer together than a wolf's would be and his short coat looked even thicker over them.

Sam threw himself at the stranger, bearing down on him with his large jaws clacking. Embry went for the tail, clamping down and pulling the dog around to face me.

The stranger laid eyes on me, wide carmine eyes that were filled to the brim with fear but hinted at some excitement. These were eyes that I would never forget, so hurt and so hopeful at the same time.

I was suddenly gutted. I wanted to cry for them to stop but it seemed that Sam couldn't hear me.

Embry could and he released his grip and stepped back from the dingo.

Sam was so caught up in the hunt that all he could see was his target, his thoughts and commands coming to me in small, jumbled clumps. I was torn for a moment, I couldn't tell Sam to stop but I couldn't physically stop him either. That would not help the case, he'd probably assume I was turning my back on his pack.

The dingo yelped and that was all the encouragement I needed.

Sam's fur was surprisingly firm between my teeth, and it came out easier than Brady's had the time that I'd lost it with him. I didn't even bother to spit the fur out as I turned back to Sam to launch another 'attack'.

I had no intention of making Sam bleed, I didn't even want to hurt him that much. I just needed him to stop. I needed him to back down.

Sam yelped as the fur was pulled from his skin and turned to me with bewildered and offended eyes. He barked at me but I couldn't hear what he was saying. He lunged at the dingo again and I pounced to block the attack.

'What are you doing?' Embry shrieked in my head.

It was hard to communicate with Embry while trying to get through to Sam, it was like a mountain had sprung up between our thoughts and nothing could get through. I tried to do both but got a feeling that I was failing, at both.

I bit at Sam's neck again, hoping that if I pulled out more fur than he'd get the hint that I didn't want to hurt him.

A howl split the air, I had no idea what it was saying but it sounded like it was Darren, one of Sam's packs young members. I didn't like that they were gone from my head now. And I prayed that someone would catch my thoughts and translate them to Sam.

Sam jumped back from me. He looked down at the dingo that cowered behind me and then at Embry who stood stunned to the west of us. Then he turned and galloped back towards the town.

'Go with him.' I pleaded with Embry, who followed my request promptly.

I turned to the dingo, who looked up at me with grateful eyes. I snapped at him, my teeth catching his ear and puncturing the skin and the cartilage. He yelped and sprung to his feet, then ran for the border of La Push as fast as his stocky legs would carry him.

I looked over my shoulder towards the township of La Push and sighed to myself. This was not going to be good.


	31. Betrayed

_**Paul's POV**_

I had just joined up with Shane and Brady when Gabby's, unexpectedly calm, thoughts disappeared. It freaked me out, it freaked everyone out except Sam, who had caught up with the shifter he was trailing. We kept chasing our scent, despite our curiosity for the loss of Gabby's thoughts.

I almost died when Sam yelped, 'What the hell, Gabby?'

And we all realised that she had attacked Sam. Well, attacked wasn't quite the right word because everyone knew that if she wanted to she could tear the ear off Sam's head.

Regardless of whether or not it was an attack, we were all still stunned. Gabby had come to gain everyone's trust and for her to have betrayed Sam, for her to defend that other shifter.

'Gabby, what are you doing?' I asked hoping she would answer me.

But she didn't and with a heavy heart I realised that she probably couldn't hear me. If I couldn't hear her it was unlikely that she could hear me. Mind reading for shifters was a two way street, both individuals had the same powers over one another.

The next thing we heard was Darren, howling for our return.

'There's one here! He wants to talk to Sam.' Darren was panicked. Not that I blamed him. We'd been living under the belief that there was a shifter out there who wanted Gabby and Embry and would kill to get what he wanted.

'Watch him carefully.' Jared replied, 'If he phases than coordinate an attack. We'll be there in a few minutes.'

I didn't have Beta status so I couldn't defer from what Sam had ordered me to do. So I followed the trail, feeling that we were getting closer and closer to the shifter whose scent we followed.

It surprised Brady, Shane and me when a yellow dog darted in front of us, heading away from the town. This was definitely a shifter but it wasn't the shifter that we'd just been following, I wondered how many were currently darting about on our territory.

'You two follow the other one, I'll take this one.' I snapped as I turned abruptly and took off after the yellow dog.

It wasn't able to shake me and I was slowly catching up. From behind I could tell that the shifter's coat was shorter and denser than any of my brother's. Shorter and denser even than Gabby's. The shifter's belly and inner thighs were startlingly white in comparison with the yellow back and sides. I continued to gain ground on the shifter because it was smaller and stockier than me.

I realised that it wasn't a dog that I was chasing, it was a dingo. And that realisation made me think of Gabby. My Gabby. Who had somehow just disappeared and had attacked my Alpha. Despite her rebellion I was worried about her. It wasn't like Gabby to turn against us, or it wasn't like the Gabby I knew.

'Paul. Shane. Brady. Go help out back at the town. Leave the trails.' Sam ordered.

Without ever actually deciding to I turned around and headed back to the town. The whole time I was trying to get through to Gabby, but she may as well have phased and moved to Australia for all the good it did. She was gone.

When I got back to the town I could smell him. He smelt similar to the shifter we'd been following only his scent was bitterer. From the moment I saw him I didn't like him. He was tall and lanky, with a square head.

I shivered when he spoke, "I'm here to see your Alpha. Tell me where he is."

Jared growled at him. You know you're not welcome when even Jared can't be nice to you. None of us had phased back and he stood there looking very vulnerable in his six foot human form.

"Bloody hell! Just tell me where your Alpha is. I need to talk to him, Alpha to Alpha."

At least he wasn't Stendahl. I knew he wasn't because I had spoken to Gabby about him specifically. Stendahl wasn't Australian, this shifter most certainly was.

"Who the hell are you?" Sam bellowed as he stormed into the scene, pushing Collin out of the way as he did so.

"Are you the Alpha here?" this guy was clearly not very quick at the pickup.

"Yes. Now, who are you?" Sam was pissed and it didn't take a genius to figure out why.

"I'm Rhys James, and you are?" I hated his accent. It was strange how I could love Gabby's but hate his, seeing how they have the same accent.

Suddenly Gabby was back in my head, by the look on everyone's faces she was back in everyone's head. We felt an intense hate rising from her and no one really understood why. Still, her hate was hard to just sit and bear and most of us ended up growling at the newcomer.

Sam looked over his shoulder at Jared who gurgled a small growl, "Sam. What are you doing here?"

"Well, clearly I'm not going to be getting a surname." Rhys sighed, "I'm here to warn you."

"Warn me about what?"

It was at this moment that I felt something scrape along my back. I looked up quickly to see Gabriella launching herself over mine and Jared's shoulders and landing with a heavy thump in front of us.

Sam turned and saw her, his face a mixture of concern and relief.

Gabby dropped into a low, threatening pose and a heavy growl ripped from her throat. Her thoughts were incomprehensible as she swore and cursed at the stranger. His name did seem to be Rhys because I occasionally caught his name in the mix of savage emotions.

'Gabby, calm down.' I said as gently as possible. I was so relieved that I could hear her again that I wasn't concerned about anything but talking to her.

"Hello, Gabriella." Rhys crooned and Gabby's abhorrence spiked.

Embry threw himself between Gabby and Rhys, his eyes portraying his desire to sooth the situation. I didn't need to hear what he was saying to know that it wasn't working.

'Don't turn your back on him.' Gabby was momentarily very clear. Her clarity was quickly replaced with the chaotic loathing that it had started as.

Embry cast a wary look over his shoulder and moved to angle himself so he could keep one eye on Rhys.

Sam stepped up next to Gabby, her ear twitched so it was directed at him and she could her him better.

"Gabby, calm down." Sam snarled.

Gabby just growled louder as she stared at Rhys.

Rhys smiled slyly at Gabby and leant forward, whispering something to Gabby in such a low voice that I couldn't hear what he was saying.

Everyone was startled when Gabby sprung at Rhys. Her strong jaws aimed at his face. He stumbled and fell backwards, which was lucky for him because otherwise Gabby's teeth would have secured around his head.

Before she could attack him again Embry launched himself at her and knocked her out of the way. A few pack members had to jump out of the way as Embry and Gabby rolled and wrestled out of the ring of wolves and into the forest. We heard them continue to fight even after they had vanished from sight.

"Didn't you say you were an Alpha?" Sam drawled, lavishing in being able to stick the boot in. It wasn't like Sam to enjoy being malicious and it put a few members of the pack on the back foot as they tried to figure out what had caused it.

"I am an Alpha. Of a five-wolf pack from New South Wales."

The mention of New South Wales peaked my curiosity, and Brady's, as we thought about where Gabby was from.

"Is it common practice for Australian Alpha's to cower from a submissive?" Sam sneered. I really didn't like this angry Sam.

Neither did Rhys by the looks of it and he clenched his fists as his hands started to tremble, "She was in wolf form."

"I honestly don't care. What do you want to warn me about?"

"Well, it looks like it's too late."

"What's too late?" Sam's patience was at its end.

"To warn you. Seeing how Gabby is living with you."


	32. The Curse

_**Gabby's POV**_

I was exhausted.

This wasn't what I'd expected, I hadn't even dreamt of it being a possibility, for it to have actually happened was mystifying. It didn't help that I'd just run more than ten kilometres and Rhys had been there.

I wasn't sure with it was just Rhys that had infuriated me or the fact that he had taken Alpha status. The last thing I ever wanted was for him to be Alpha.

'Gabby?'

Embry and I had stopped fighting and I was lying, almost motionless, in the wake of it. Embry sat close by watching me warily. I got the feeling he was afraid I was about to start another fight.

'I'm sorry.'

'Don't be. I know why you did it. Connection, remember?'

So, maybe there were some upsides to the pack connection that I had forgotten about in my years as a wolf. It was certainly far easier to have someone know your mind than to explain why what had just happened had happened.

'I think we should go back.' Embry suggested.

'They won't want to see me. Not after Rhys has had a chance to manipulate them.'

Embry whimpered and stood up, 'You have too little faith in them.'

'You underestimate Rhys. He could talk his way out of anything.' I felt sick as I thought of everything that Rhys had done.

'So you'll let them believe the lies?'

I sighed. I knew that Embry was trying to help but sometimes I just needed to be able to wallow and Embry wasn't making that easy for me.

'Fine. But I'm not going to be near Rhys.'

'I wouldn't expect you to.' Embry said with an air of knowing.

The connection was definitely helping me out here.

I got to my feet but couldn't bring myself to turn back to the town. Who was I kidding? After everything I'd done to them they would jump at the chance to send me away, I knew it.

'You don't internalise that well.'

I barked in surprise and my bark was responded to by a long howl. I ignored Collin and turned to the newcomer. It felt like Australia was throwing itself at me again, tearing its way into my life bit by infuriating bit. Not only was I angry but I was also a little surprised, I had not seen him for seven years but his voice was as strong in my head as it was the day that he watched me walk away.

Embry looked confused, 'What's wrong?' But I was too distracted to give him an answer.

'Why are you here?' I couldn't be civil, the sound of Randall's voice had me salivating with the desire to rip his skin open and watch him bleed.

'I never meant for things to happen the way they did.'

'I don't care anymore.'

'You can lie to them with the half thoughts they get, but we're family. You can't hide your true thoughts from me.'

'How many of you are here?' I didn't like that he called us family, as far as I was concerned he stopped being my family the moment he let Rhys send me away.

'All of us.'

'Why are you here?' I snarled.

'For you.'

'Okay, seriously Gabby! Who the hell are you talking to?' Embry growled and stepped directly in front of me.

Randall stepped out of the shadows behind Embry and I nodded my chin over Embry's shoulder. Embry dropped into a similar defensive pose that I had taken against Rhys. I nudged Embry's hip to distract him.

'He's kinda one of the good guys.' I thought.

_**Jared's POV**_

I didn't know what to think.

We had all felt Gabby's hatred towards this stranger and I for one still trusted her judgement. Even if she had 'attacked' Sam, which I'm sure she had a good reason for doing. But her momentary disappearance from the pack had thrown me and I was, as yet, unable to get myself back on track.

"Do you think you could cut down on the canines? I'm just one man after all." Rhys smiled a dry smile and Paul snorted.

"Jared, Paul, Brady and Collin. Stay as you are. Everyone else phase back." Sam ordered and half the pack dashed into the trees to phase and cover themselves up. They came back a few moments later to stand by their Alpha, "Now, what do you want?"

"Are you deaf?" I growled at the stranger this time, "Gabby isn't safe."

"What makes you think we don't already know that?" Sam was in a foul mood and it was having an effect on everyone else.

"If you really knew than you'd have sent her away. There's a shifter by the name of Stendahl on his way here, and he's after Gabby."

"We know that." Sam grumbled.

"And you let her stay?" Rhys sounded astounded.

"She's a part of this pack, now."

"Did she tell you what happened to her last pack?" the gangly looking Australian snickered.

"Yes, they died. We know the risks, so you can leave if you've said all you wanted to say."

"They're not all dead. I mean, I'm standing here talking to you. Definitely not something that a dead person can do."

"You're a member of Gabby's old pack?" Philip gasped and Sam shot him a disapproving look.

"So, she didn't tell you everything." Rhys' smile was like none other I'd ever seen, it was cold but joyous at the same time. Slightly sociopathic. How many psychos did Gabby know?

"She told us all that we need to know. Unless you can help us with Stendahl you may as well leave."

"Well, we can't do that. We're not suicidal. Should you succeed, you should send us a message. But I won't be holding my breath."

"You can leave now." Sam growled.

"You'll send us away but you keep The Curse around. Stupid." Rhys finished with a sigh.

"What the fuck would you know?" Shane snapped. Shane was very protective of the pack on a whole and hated when we were being insulted.

"I know that Stendahl is out for blood and that my town bore the brunt of his anger because of Gabby."

"You can't blame Gabby because Stendahl is a monster." Sam growled.

"She ran away from the town after her mother's death and Stendahl couldn't find her. So he came back to our town and killed everyone else."

"We know all of that." Shane grumbled and Sam glared at him.

"Do you know that he's still after her? He let her live the first time and he regrets it now."

"Yes." Sam snapped.

"Last we heard, yes. We're only here because we heard that Gabriella was trying to weasel her way into another pack and thought you should know the truth."

"You keep saying we. Who is we, exactly?" Sam snarled.

"Me and my pack. Or what's left of it since the whole Gabriella thing." Rhys smiled, "They're right behind you."

The whole pack turned as one to find a group of three wolves standing amongst the trees. Halfway between the pack and the trio of wolves was Gabby, Embry, and an unfamiliar man, a few inches taller than Gabby and walking very close to her. I was surprised to notice that this other man was walking so close to Gabby that his arm brushed against her's, it seemed Paul noticed it too because I could feel Paul tensing through the connection.

Gabby and the second strange man stopped about a hundred metres from the pack and turned to each other, the stranger leant forward to rest his forehead against Gabby's and I heard Paul growl low in his throat, although he wasn't thinking in wods. A few moments later Gabby literally pushed away from the stranger and continued, with Embry, towards the pack.

Embry stopped when he reached the pack but Gabby kept moving. She shoved through the pack to stand beside Sam, facing Rhys.

"Who are they?" Sam was trying to sound angry but I heard the smidgeon of concern in his question. It was hard to know what emotion we should be showing towards Gabby, after the events of the last hour.

"He likes to think that they're _his_ pack." Gabby didn't look away from Rhys, her eyes stared hard at his face.

"They are my pack, I don't see you leading them."

"Being an Alpha isn't just about leading, it's about protecting as well." Gabby snarled.

"And you think I don't protect them?"

"In your pack's greatest hour of need you ran away. You saw Stendahl coming and you didn't tell anyone, you just ran."

"Oh, grow up. I was fifteen!"

"You were three months younger than me. And I stayed."

"As well you should have, seeing as it was your fault that they came in the first place." Rhys was starting to raise his voice. The tension between Rhys and Gabby was so strong that the other pack members were beginning to react to it; they pushed and nudged each other, jostling to try and make themselves comfortable in the awkwardness.

"I think you should leave." Sam said with a stern look, "Until everyone has calmed down a little."

"It's Gabriella who needs to calm down, I'm not the murderer."

"Bullshit!" Gabby roared and I stepped in front of her to try to settle her down before she phased in the middle of the field.

"It was self defence. He attacked me first."

"You only have yourself to blame for that." Gabby growled as I pushed gently against her to try to hold her back. Gabby was getting more worked up every second that Rhys stood there smiling and I had to strain slightly to hold her back. It was impressive, the sheer will of the young woman.

"I think we should go." the other stranger said as he suddenly appeared in between his Alpha and our pack, "G- Gabby knows how to contact us. We'll stay off your territory."

"You do not call the shots here, Randall." Rhys sounded more than pissed at his pack member's sudden intrusion into the argument and he squared his shoulders as he stepped toe to toe with the slightly taller man. "I will not bow to you or your pathe-" he didn't finish his statement because in that moment Jared slipped on the soft dirt and Gabby pushed past him, aiming straight for Rhys. Rhys didn't wait for a single moment, he turned around and ran, phasing within three paces and then disappearing into the shadows. He was followed closely by the second stranger and moments later the pack watched the other three wolves race through the forest to meet up with their Alpha, hopefully somewhere far from where they were.

Once Rhys and his pack were gone Sam turned to Gabby, "I think you have some explaining to do."


	33. Family Feud

_**Sam's POV**_

We were sitting in the living room; my whole pack, including Gabby, and Embry. I was starting to think that I needed a larger house.

I had begged Emily to leave because I was sure things would likely get messy and I didn't want her getting involved. I couldn't bear to see her hurt, physically or emotionally, and she would undoubtedly want to support Gabby.

Gabby never ceases to amaze me. She had no interest in anything girly and spent little if any time around the woman who knew about shifting, but each and every one of them felt the need to defend her. Emily. Kim. Sue. Even Rachel had defended Gabby against her brother at the climax of the very public family spat.

Now we sat waiting for Jacob and his pack, of whom Leah would definitely stand with Gabby – although that one I think is mutual, Gabby did seem to like Leah. Gabby had not been happy when we said Jacob's pack were on their way but she calmed down quickly enough when Embry assured her the Cullens weren't coming.

Actually, Embry seemed rather happy about that one too and I wondered exactly how painful it was for him to spend time around them.

Jacob marched into the room, followed by the rest of his pack, all of whom looked flustered. They gathered in the same corner they had when Rachel had told everyone she was leaving. Embry whispered in Gabby's ear that he was still on her side and went over to join his pack, while Leah looked at her with deep anxiety.

"So, what is going on?" Jacob demanded, he looked just as agitated as the rest of his pack and his voice was hard and cold.

We all looked at Gabby and she growled low in her throat. She had never liked being singled out.

"They aren't going to hurt anyone. And they are certainly not in cahoots with Stendahl. They're safe." Gabby sighed.

"How can you be so sure?" Jacob spat, his hands balling into fists.

"Because they are-" Gabby looked pained as she stopped and gulped, pushing down some emotion that I couldn't quite name, "They were part of my pack. They were family once."

"So are you going to leave with them?" Seth asked and I wondered for a moment if this was the first thing he'd ever said. Whether it was or wasn't he sounded upset.

"No." Gabby took a deep breath, this was almost as difficult for her as telling us what happened when Stendahl attacked her family, "Those bridges were burnt a long time ago."

"So Paul was right. Not even your family wants you." Now Jacob was just being mean and I was tempted to tell him to shut up or leave.

"I guess he was." It was hard to hear Gabby admit that. No one should ever feel that family doesn't want them, because true family would never turn its back on you.

"No, I wasn't." Paul snapped, staring at Jacob. His gaze softened as he turned to Gabby, "I was angry and stupid. It wasn't true." He reached out to touch Gabby's knee and she flinched away from him, I could tell that he was hurt by it.

Jacob had clearly had enough and he stepped towards the door, "Are they going to fight with us? Because if they're not than they may as well leave now."

"Don't get angry at them!" the strong Gabby that I had gotten so used to was suddenly back. Her loyalty must be great if she would defend the shifters that threw her out in the cold, "It's not my old family's fault that Stendahl is coming, it's your new one's."

"What does that mean?" Jacob barked, his clenched fists starting to tremble.

Gabby got to her feet so that she was looking Jacob in the eyes, well almost. She was tall for a normal woman but Jacob was still a few inches taller, "If it weren't for those filthy demons prying into my life, as I warned them all not to, then Stendahl would still be screwing his way around Spain."

"What?" Quil was clearly lost and I was glad because I was starting to lose pace too.

Gabby flicked her stare to Quil, "Stendahl was in Spain. He wasn't looking for me. Then he was told that some American vampires were asking about him. If it weren't for them sticking their frozen noses in where they didn't belong than I would be in Asia right now, instead of defending my family pack from this hunk of shit." Gabby gestured to Jacob and Quil cowered from her icy words.

"This isn't their fault!" Jacob was on the defensive now.

"You keep telling yourself that and maybe one day you'll believe it. The truth of the matter is if they had have kept their mouths shut then there would be no threat."

"Okay, I think we should all just calm down." I growled as I, too, got to my feet. This room was not built to hold so many shifters.

"Fine." Gabby snapped as she turned to the door and disappeared down the hall. A few seconds later her bedroom door slammed shut.

"Is she telling the truth?" Jacob growled as he turned to Embry.

"Yes. They came back to the town after Stendahl had left. Most of them were young and hiding in the forest. One of them had been knocked out under a house, the vamp hadn't finished him off properly." Embry muttered, I got the feeling he didn't like being the one to tell everyone the specifics of Gabby's memory.

"Is she plotting with them?" I couldn't believe that Jacob was even asking, it seemed so obvious to me that she wasn't.

"No." Embry gasped, offended that Jacob would suggest that.

"Is she keeping secrets from us?" Jacob was on a mission to get to the bottom of everything and it seemed he didn't care if he put his pack mate off side.

"N- yes. Just the one and... and it has nothing to do with her old pack, or Stendahl, or how to win this coming fight." Embry was scurrying to protect his sister and her secret. I wondered what the secret was, and how he could know it but Jake couldn't.

"What is it?" Jacob glowered and stepped towards Embry.

"I- it won't be a secret if I tell."

"Embry!" Jacob wasn't playing games.

"I swear it's not important."

"I'll decide that. What is it?"

"She's... She and..." the words caught in Embry's throat and died before he could say them, "I can't tell you." Embry seemed just as shocked as everyone else at this revelation.

"Embry Call! You _will_ tell me this secret that Gabby is keeping from us."

Embry went to answer and started to choke on his own words. He was physically choking, gasping and coughing and spluttering. Embry clasped his hand over his temple and bowed down to the pain.

Jake realised what was happening, "Embry, you _don't_ need to reveal this secret. Keep it secret if you must."

Embry let out a heavy sigh and released his temples. Everyone looked at him with worried curiosity.

"What was that?" Jared asked from beside me.

"I-" Embry started with a husky voice, "I don't know. Gabby asked me not to tell and... I can't."

Disease lay across the group as we all slowly came to the same realisation.

"Jared." I murmured, "Go get Gabby."

Jared darted out of the room, jumping over feet instead of trying to walk between them.

Jacob looked up at me, "Shouldn't we have been able to figure that one out. Has she done it to any of your pack?"

I shook my head as Jared reappeared at the door, alone.

"She's gone."


	34. Broken

_**Paul's POV**_

I was sick of hearing it. Tired of being told that Gabby was not here. I had fought myself for so long to repress my feelings and she'd stayed true that whole time. Now that my feelings were finally being expressed and I was starting to feel something more than just constant anger, she kept disappearing.

Jacob's pack, with the exception of Embry, stayed in Sam's living room. Our pack dashed out the back door and into the forest, with Embry, where we all phased and fanned out. For the second time in one day.

Sam ordered us to seek out the scents of Gabby's old pack as he was aware that it would be unlikely we'd be able to find her trail, let alone follow it.

I was looking for a trail when I came across one that I didn't expect. It was a dry menthol scent mingled with the simple smell of wood, finished off with a gentle lingering sweetness. I tripped on my feet and started to salivate at the envisioning of the alluring scents bearer.

'Follow it, if you think you can.' Sam ordered, 'But keep on task.'

I stood still for a moment, breathing in the glorious scent. It set my body on fire, made me burn to be with her, to touch her. Thinking of her as being gone and then finding this... I was blind and deaf to everything else.

The trail headed south, moving in a straight line through the trees. She wasn't trying to evade us, she was just heading somewhere. I wanted to know where. I wanted to know why. But I needed to catch up with her before I could ask and we had no idea where she was because once again, we couldn't hear her.

I could hear voices up ahead and I slowed down. I was near one of the spots where Gabby stashes clothes. One of the voices I knew to be Gabby's even though I couldn't make out any words, I would know her voice and her accent anywhere.

"Randall." she sighed, I could hear sadness in her words and I wanted to phase and hug her, "I don't want to leave. Not as long as I am welcome here."

That made me smile as I approached the two voices. I moved as slowly and steadily as possible, trying to ignore the remarks of the pack mates in my head.

"It's that Paul guy, isn't it?" said the stranger and I wondered how he knew my name.

"No. It's the whole pack. They- they're different. Not like how we were brought up."

"They don't know you. Not like we do. He doesn't know you like I do." That hurt me to hear as I found a spot to crouch where I could see them both.

The stranger was tall, definitely another shifter. His body was thick set, thicker than any of my pack mates and his skin was tight over his bulky muscles. He had short black hair, just long enough to be parted down the middle and it shone in the afternoon light.

"They took me in when they should have turned me away. When even you turned me away." I could barely believe that anyone would want to turn Gabby away, until I realised that that was exactly what I'd wanted to do originally.

"I didn't want you to go. I was willing to leave with you but you told me not to. I didn't want to be stuck with Rhys, I wanted to be with you." I didn't like the sound of that and the thought of someone else wanting Gabby made me angry.

"I told you that Rhys couldn't be left in charge. I wanted you to be Alpha, but you didn't listen. Had I known that you would bow to him then I would have stayed." I noticed how close Gabby was standing to him and the anger kept building. She was standing only slightly apart from him and he was holding something in his hands, I couldn't see what.

"Why didn't you ever come back and check? If you were so worried about Rhys being Alpha?" he was starting to get angry at Gabby and I really didn't think that was fair. Seeing how they had turned her away.

"Don't you dare! You knew what I meant and I trusted you. I felt no reason to check because I thought there was no way in hell that you would let Rhys take over."

"So this is my fault?"

"I never..." Gabby paused and looked down at whatever was between them, "I never said it was your fault. I'm the only one to blame for what happened and I would never think to blame anyone else for it."

"You know that's not true. Everyone did things that they shouldn't have, said things they didn't mean. You know Wayne was planning to send people out to find you just before Stendahl came back? He called it off because he was afraid that Stendahl would follow us and if we found you then he'd kill you. Wayne wanted you back. You're grandparents wanted you back."

"I'm sure Ruth and Lloyd were really desperate for me to return." I heard the pain in Gabby's voice as she spoke about, who I could only assume, were her grandparents.

"Don't call them that. They were your Ganna and Gumpa." The stranger snarled and I positioned myself to attack but stopped when he raised his hands and continued, "Now, take it. You know you want to."

I have never been so angry in all my life. My fury at finding out that Rachel was leaving me for John was nothing compared to the rage that flushed through me at the sight what the stranger held. All the air in my lungs was not enough and I howled a small pointed howl before launching myself from the shadows.

I didn't fight for Rachel but I was definitely going to fight for Gabby.

The stranger staggered backwards when he saw me and, to my great displeasure, Gabby jumped between us. She held her hands out towards me in a desperate gesture to get me to stop but I was too angry.

There were voices in my head telling me to calm down but that possibility was too far gone.

I tried to push Gabby aside with my head but she was resisting me and my anger was continuing to build.

"Paul. Stop being such an arse." She huffed as she pushed against me.

I loved how she said that word but I couldn't stop, I had to release this anger somehow and the stranger was the only way that I could be sure to get it all out.

Again I tried to push Gabby aside, as the stranger cowered, in human form, behind her. This time she didn't push against me and I thought she was going to let me through.

I was wrong.

I didn't mean to do it. I would never have dreamt of doing it but I was so caught in my desire to hurt someone that I'd reacted without thinking. By the time I realised what was happening it was too late, I couldn't stop myself.

The three little cracks were like thunder in my ears and lightening striking my body. My rage was pushed aside by my own sickening regret. I couldn't believe that I'd done it.

I'd bitten Gabby.

She gasped and doubled over.

I was going to phase and beg for her forgiveness when a great yellow-orange ball of fur threw itself at me. Large white teeth snapped together near my ear and the distinctive snap sound put my nerves on edge.

This dingo was about the same size as me but was stockier, like his human form had been. I reared up to try and get some force behind an attack but the dingo was faster than me and he charged at my now exposed stomach.

I yelped and fell backwards.

It surprised me that I was able to get to my feet without a second attack but I didn't let it show as I lunged at the orange dog. Catching the ruff of his neck between my teeth and holding on as tight as I could.

The dingo cried and snarled as he tried to pull his neck free. His head swung around and his teeth pinched the skin of my shoulder. He tried to shake his head but as he moved his head, his neck pulled against my grip. He yelped again.

Jared forced his way between us, snapping at my feet as he did so. I released my grip on the dingo and backed off. The orange dingo backed off too, although he continued to snarl at me over Jared's back.

"Fuck off!" someone swore from the trees to my left.

Gabby.

I phased and untied my shorts from my ankle. I couldn't put them on fast enough as I started to run towards where Gabby was cursing. My stomach was tight and knotted, all I could think of was how I had hurt her.

By the time I got back to her everyone else was there. Embry stood closest to her and growled at me when I came into view.

Sam was standing on the other side of the group and was concentrating on Gabby, "Okay, can you phase?" Gabby shook her head, "Embry, take her back to the house. Don't let Jacob start anything. Jared, go see if Sue can help out."

Embry bowed down beside Gabby but she pushed him playfully away from her. The movement wasn't well thought out, as she winced from the pain that radiated when her right arm moved.

I wanted to say I was sorry but I couldn't get my mouth to move. I was so horrified by what I'd done that I could barely think straight.

So I stood there. Motionless, as everyone else shuffled away, headed towards the town. Eventually, I was the only one left and I couldn't believe how lonely I felt. It was painful, so painful, to think that I'd broken Gabby's arm. I knew I had, I'd heard it.

I looked over my shoulder to check the stranger had left. I didn't want him to think that I was backing down from our fight or running away from him. He was nowhere to be seen so I figured it was safe to head back.

I was almost out of the thin patch of trees where I'd found Gabby talking with the stranger, when I saw it. Glinting up at me from amongst the leaves and needles that littered the forest floor. I checked my surroundings again before walking over to the miniscule beacon.

Bending down, I brushed the needles and leaves away from it. My heart sunk and I thought I might vomit if there were anything in my stomach. It felt like I'd been kicked in the gut, by a vampire.

I picked it up. It was cold and felt kind of wet from the damp leaves that had covered it. I twirled it between my fingers, letting the light dance off the smooth, glittering surfaces. Gabby was going to accept it, I knew she was. Why wouldn't she?

It was a beautiful looking engagement ring.


	35. Force

_**Kim's POV**_

"She's caused a lot of problems considering how long she's been here." Brady laughed as he re-entered the kitchen.

"But it's not all her fault." I protested as I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.

"Well, if it weren't for her than none of it would have happened." Brady took up the only remaining seat as we waited for the others to finish.

Sam, Jared, Emily and Sue Clearwater were locked away in Gabby's room, trying to inspect Gabby's arm. Every now and then I heard muffled grunts and yells, and once I heard what sounded like someone being slammed into the wall. Whatever was happening in the back room, it didn't sound like it was going as smoothly as was intended.

"That doesn't mean we should blame her." I liked Gabby, I didn't want to see her being judged so harshly.

I wondered if maybe it was because of Jared that I liked Gabby so much. When they'd first met Gabby, Jared had been fascinated by her and he had spoken about her in such a way that I couldn't help but find myself thinking about the mysterious shifter every spare moment I had, when I wasn't thinking about Jared that was.

"She may not be to blame but she is the root of these issues, that can't be overlooked." Jacob grumbled as he leant back in his dining room chair.

"You really can't talk." Paul snapped from his perch on the bench on the other side of the kitchen. He'd been the last to get back to Sam's and hadn't said anything until now.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jacob growled.

"Look at what we went through because of Bella. Look how you reacted when we decided that she and the Cullens had gone too far." Paul stared at the ceiling. I knew he didn't want to be here because he knew that every pained noise that came from Gabby's room was his fault.

Jacob scowled at Paul but looked away a few seconds later before he said anything.

I watched Paul as he fidgeted nervously on the other side of the kitchen. He was tense and clearly too emotional to even look at anyone else. He had one hand in his pocket and he was fingering something. My curiosity was instantly peaked and I wanted to go over there and demand to see what it was.

"I'm going to go get some air." Jacob huffed as he got up and waltzed out of the room.

"Someone's pissed." Brady sighed under his breath.

"Gabriella, don't!" Sam bellowed from the back room and the words echoed through the kitchen as clearly as if Sam were standing beside the fridge. It was followed by a loud thump against the wall.

"You should go home, Brady." Paul said with a slight air of concern, and I was sure it was for Gabby.

"Fine." Brady shrugged as he jumped out of his seat and headed to the front door, "Oh, and Paul, whatever your playing with in your pocket, you should stop. I don't think Sam's in the mood to ignore something like that."

I pushed off of my seat and strutted over to Paul, then held out my hand, "Can I have a look?"

"At what?" Paul still refused to look down from the ceiling.

"Whatever it is that's in your pocket."

"It's nothing." Paul spat and pulled his hand out of his pocket.

"It's something." I pretended to grab at it and Paul jumped.

"It's NOTHING!" Paul yelled and slid off the bench.

"Oh, no you don't." I chirped as I reached around Paul to pick his pocket. I was surprised at how easily it worked.

"Give that back." Paul growled.

"No." I giggled as I tried to get away from Paul's reach. Jared always warned me against annoying Paul but I got the feeling he was so upset with what he'd done he wouldn't phase again tonight.

We paused when we heard Sam yell out, "Stop." It was so loud and clear that I shivered slightly.

"Just give it back!" Paul yelled and I couldn't help but flinch at the sound.

"Give it back to him, Kim." Jared groaned as he entered the kitchen and sat down at the table. I pushed the ring back into Paul's hand and hurried over to a very tired looking Jared. I hadn't had a chance to see what the ring actually looked like but I knew from the shape that it was fine with a large gem set in it.

"What's wrong?" I whimpered as I cuddled into Jared's side.

"Nothing, not really." Jared muttered as Jacob waltzed back into the room.

"It must be something, for Sam to have kicked you and Emily out of the room." I whispered as I watched Emily take up a seat on the other side of the room.

"Gabby's not very... accepting of assistance." Jared was clearly trying to be as nice as possible.

"She doesn't like people getting too close. And she's really not impressed about anyone touching her elbow." Emily rested her forearms on the table and stared out the window and the black night.

"Maybe you should just send Paul in. I'm sure she'd love to have him-" Jacob grumbled as he rested against the door frame. I wondered if he'd found out about Gabby and Paul, but got a feeling that he was just being an ass and rubbing in the fact that Paul had caused the injury.

"Oh, fuck off, Jacob!" Paul spat as he stormed out of the room.

"Where's he going?" Sam asked as he and Sue entered the kitchen.

"What happened?" I asked, ignoring Sam's question because I didn't know the answer.

"I think she has broken the three long bones in her arm, but I can't be sure unless we get an x-ray." Sue smiled meekly as she sat down next to Emily and rubbed her shoulders.

"What happened?" I asked again.

Jared and Sam shared a sad look before Jared turned to me, "You have to understand that Gabby spent over six years as a wolf and when a wolf is injured they get a little... frightened."

"What happened?" I asked with a firmer tone, turning to Emily because I knew that the pack bond wouldn't interfere with getting a straight answer from her.

"She... threw Emily into the wall." Jared sighed as he too watched Emily.

"I'm alright, just a little shocked is all." Emily stared at me with compassionate eyes and I got the feeling that Emily genuinely wasn't upset with Gabby.

"You let her stay, still?" Jacob snapped as he turned to Sam, "She attacks Emily and you just let it go?"

"This isn't your pack anymore Jacob, and this isn't your decision." Sam growled, "I don't know why you're still here, don't you have a vampire half breed to go home to?"

"Fine. But when she slaughter's half the town while you sleep, I will be taking it out on you as much as her." Jacob left with a huff.

"I think you should go easier on Jacob. He doesn't know what to make of Gabriella and he's hurting because Rachel's leaving, again." Sue said sweetly as she stroked Emily's hair back behind her ear. I figured it must have been more than a little shock for Sue to be so concerned.

"That doesn't give him the right to interfere in pack matters." Jared muttered as he pulled me into a tighter sideway hug.

"How long will it take for her bones to heal?" I asked, trying to get the subject back onto Gabby.

"It shouldn't take too much longer." Sam sighed as he leant against the bench.

"The puncture wounds had healed by the time I got here." Sue smiled, "As long as the bones haven't moved out of place she will be good as new by tomorrow morning."

"And if they have moved?" I wondered and noticed Jared tense for a moment. Sue didn't say anything, she just looked back at Emily.

"We'd have to re-break the bones." Sam was stone faced and his voice was monotonous.

"How? Won't the bones have to break in the same spots? Will Paul have to bite her again?"

"Hopefully not, but if no one can touch her then we may have to use other measures." Sam was still stony and cold and I once again wondered what had happened in there.

"What do you mean 'other measures'?" I prodded.

Everyone else looked nervously around the room. I could feel the atmosphere growing heavier and denser, wanted to yell at them to just tell me but I sensed that it wouldn't help matters. There was a loud thud from the back room, it sounded as if Gabby had just punched the wall. It made Emily jump and I knew that something more serious than a push had happened. Jared and Sam were staring at each other, seemingly unable to say anything.

Sue was the one to break the uncomfortable silence, "Force."


	36. Alone

_**Gabby's POV**_

I could barely believe what I had done.

The pain in my arm had started to fade when they brought Sue into my room but the memory of it was still sitting on my nerves. The thought of anyone touching me had given me goose bumps and made my hair stand on end. It had taken over the small amount of control I had and painted my vision white with fear. I had not meant to react the way I did to Emily, but I hadn't been able to see through the ache and trepidation.

Emily had only been trying to help and I had known that she wasn't sure what to do. Sam had brought her in to see if she could help calm me down but I'd sensed Emily's anxiety and it fed my own. She'd reached out, with a shaking hand, to try to soothe me and I had snapped.

"Don't touch me!" I had yelled, "If you do I'll break that pretty little arm to pieces."

"Gabby!" Jared had gasped, "She's just trying to help."

"Help? Like you are all trying to help? What you're doing is not help, its mass suicide." Everyone had looked so confused, it seemed I was the only one thinking about what was coming for me, "Stendahl will kill you all."

"That's not impor-" Emily started.

"Important? Not important?" I shot up from the bed to stand nose to nose with Emily, "Do you know what he will do? He'll come when he's least expected, and he'll hit hard. He'll take out the shifters first, or have his army do it for him, then he'll take his time with the rest of you."

"That's enough." Sam had growled but I'd barely heard him, I was too focused on Emily.

"He doesn't care how old or young you are, he'll get around to each and every one of you. He'll most likely kill the old and weak first, leave the 'fighters' for last. He savours the challenge."

"Gabby, stop." Sam growled for a second time but I'd continued to ignore him.

"He'll figure out that you and Sam have imprinted, and he'll bring you out together. He'll torture Sam, make him bleed, make him scream. And he will scream." Jared had reached out to pull me back but I'd jerked out of his reach, swinging my clenched fist at the wall beside Emily. She cringed and stumbled back. Sam growled although I'd known he'd be able to tell that I wasn't aiming for Emily. "The consolation prize will go to you though, because he'll kill you first. He'll make Sam watch as he skins you and then lets you bleed out."

"STOP!" Sam had screamed and lunged at me.

I'd phased before I'd known what I was doing and snapped my jaws at Emily before turning to Sam. Half a second later I was slumped to the ground, whimpering and growling at myself. The phase had been too much for my currently delicate bones and they had almost certainly re-broken. I'd collapsed onto my dog bed in the corner, curled up and phased back. Rolled in a foetal position, around my agonizing arm.

"Sue, don't." Sam growled as he put himself between me and a concerned looking Sue.

I'd looked up to find that Jared and Emily had left and Sam was pushing Sue towards the door. Once again Sam was confusing me, he was angry at me, that was clear but there was also something else in his eyes. Pity, maybe. I didn't like that I could see that, I hated pity in every form it had. Sue stepped out of the room and Sam looked back at me. He was motionless for a moment and then he just shook his head.

Now I was lying alone on the bed, naked and in so much pain that I was struggling to keep myself quiet. I wanted to scream and yell and chuck a little temper tantrum. I remembered Sampson telling me how vocalising actually helped to ease pain, but I was too stubborn to let everyone else know exactly how much it hurt.

I'd punched the wall a few times in frustration, it had helped for a few moments but the pain always came back. The plaster had buckled and cracked under the force of my thumping and I felt bad for damaging Emily and Sam's house even more than I had today.

Away in the distance I heard a mournful howl, I wasn't sure why he was mournful but I knew it was Randal. The howl was answered with another, a threatening one, from Collin of all people; and it seemed to be coming from approximately the same direction. I was tempted to phase back but couldn't stand the thought of the pain getting any worse.

When I woke the next morning it was with some amount of surprise, as I didn't remembered falling asleep. I rolled onto my back and felt a strange ache in my right arm. It didn't take a genius to figure out what that meant. The bones had healed wrong.

I groaned as I heaved myself off the soft round bedding and made my way to the closet. I was careful not to move my arm too much as I got dressed, but it was harder than I expected. It reminded me of when Sampson had had x-ray my leg once and told me not to move, my leg had killed for the last day and I had no problem not moving it during that time, but the second I was told that I couldn't I got the feeling that I needed to. As I got dressed I somehow managed to keep getting my arm caught and as a result I kept tweaking the ache.

Once I dressed I left my room, no one had said anything about me being confined to my room so I felt no issue leaving it now. I made my way down the hall to the kitchen, and thought about how much had changed over the last day. I couldn't believe that just twenty-four hours ago, this was so close to being home I could almost smell it, and now it was border line frozen to me.

"Hello, sleepyhead." I was surprised at how cheery Emily was towards me.

"Listen, Emily..." I couldn't think of any way to put it that sounded good enough. "About yesterday..."

"You're forgiven." Emily smiled as she piled pancakes onto a plate. "Sam and I had a long talk last night, about what you said. He told me that you were acting off instinct and didn't really mean to say it. Well, you meant it but you didn't mean to be so... harsh."

"It was wrong of me. I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, you were right to say what you said." Sam walked in from the hall, followed by Jared and Paul. "You think that you're somehow outside of this pack, but you're not. You would leave us behind to save us. Walk away from those who've made you like being human again, because you care for us. I have no interest in where you came from, or what happened in your past. It's now that I'm concerned with and you have proven yourself to be faithful. I can forgive last night, because you are part of this pack."

"It was still wrong. I should have kept my mouth shut, spoken with you about it and not scared Emily with it."

"Well, you can speak now. If you would like." Sam said as he sat down at the table, Jared and Paul followed suit. Paul refused to look at me although Jared kept looking sheepishly in my direction.

Emily turned to the table and pushed me with her, in her free hand she held the plate piled with pancakes. She placed the pancakes in the centre of the table, where the guys swooped in to grab handfuls to transfer to their plates. One pancake was grabbed by both Jared and Sam and it tore down the middle, both men grumbled and argued about whose fault it was before actually commencing consumption.

I pulled out the seat next to Jared, who smiled at me with a mouth full of pancakes and maple syrup. Emily sat between me and Sam, instinctively pulling her chair closer to Sam so that their arms touched. Public displays of affection always made me feel a little queasy so I looked away from them.

"There's not really anything to tell you that I haven't already said, in regards to Stendahl." I sighed as Emily gestured for me to take some pancakes. I shook my head politely.

"Then how about you tell us what you were doing yesterday afternoon. When you snuck out?" Jared watched me carefully as he shovelled more pancakes into his mouth.

"I wasn't sneaking, not really." If I'd not wanted them to find me than I was certain I could have made that so. I looked at Paul but he refused to look at me, "I was saying goodbye."

"Goodbye?" Sam sounded shocked.

"Yeah. I've put them through enough already. Rhys and Randall were shifters before Stendahl attacked. The others weren't. The oldest of them was only seven years old. They're all orphans because of me."

"So they're leaving?" I heard the approval in Sam's voice at the idea.

"Yes."

"Maybe they should stay. Didn't you say that we needed numbers?" Jared turned to me, dropping his fork with a clatter as he focused on the conversation, "Why can't they stay?"

"Rhys wouldn't let them." I couldn't hide my disgust at the thought of Rhys.

The others noticed but Emily was the first to say something, "Why don't you like this Rhys?"

I didn't really want to go into this but I knew that they would only keep asking, "Because he is a spineless pig.

"He was on sentry duty when Stendahl's army came to town. And do you know what he did?" I didn't wait for a response, "He tucked his grey tail between his legs and ran. He didn't sound a warning, he just ran. He didn't come back until the next morning where he blamed me for the deaths of our families.

"I would have accepted that from anyone but him. It was my fault, just like any deaths from Stendahl's next attack will be my fault. I will wear that guilt until the day I die, but I would not have Rhys get away with his actions. He has to take some fraction of the guilt too."

I could feel my own short nails digging into the centre of my palms but I didn't unclench my fists. If I did that then I might lash out and break something, I might scare Emily again.

"Yesterday... you called him a murderer..." Jared prompted.

"Well, I'm sure there are others out there that wouldn't call him that but..." I sighed as I thought back to that day.

_The wreckage had been hard to look at. Most houses were still standing but almost all of them had had their fronts destroyed and the debris was strewn across the road. The sun was high and the heat only added to the devastating scene._

_To begin with I was all alone. Standing at the top of the steps to our Town Hall and surveying the war zone that the morning before looked like something from a modern fairytale. I could see my Uncle Lloyd's house from where I stood and it was one of the few houses that had been literally torn from its foundations._

_I could barely walk. I could feel how the blood had dried and caked on my face and just about every part of my body ached from the cuts and grazes that were struggling to heal. Then there was the perfect circle that had been carved out of my hip, every step made it smart as a thin section of bare flesh folded in on itself._

_I couldn't cover it with anything and having it exposed hurt just as much as the wind dried it and dust settled on the oozing surface. I just wanted to curl up and die, I thought that if I saw enough bodies my heart would hurt too much to beat and I would have a heart attack._

_Then I'd seen movement and not the movement of unsteady pieces of rubble slipping and sliding over each other. It was the movement of something persistent, something alive._

_I stumbled across the street, moving slower than I think I've ever moved before. When I finally got there I'd found something, someone, who made my heart spring back into life._

_Argos. My Central Asian Shepherd._

_I don't know how but he'd made it through. He was bruised and bloody and he couldn't stand up but he was alive. I spent ages picking chunks of plaster and brick from his thick fur, wiping dust away from his face. The whole time I cried, thinking he was the only other living creature to have made it through._

_It was late afternoon before I even looked away from him. And I only did that because I heard someone yell my name._

_Rhys._

_I'd been happy to see him then. Elated because he wasn't alone. Five others were with him. Stephen, a seventy-four year old non-shifter, was carrying his nephew's three month old daughter. Three children were gathered behind Rhys and Stephen, hiding from everything around them._

_It wasn't long before Rhys started to blame me. And the only time he stopped was when we heard Randall calling to us from under a nearby house. I was even happier to see Randall than I was to see Rhys and the others._

_I've known Randall since before I could remember. We used to play football of an afternoon with relatives and neighbours. I had so many good memories of time spent with Randall, in fact, I think they are all good memories. At least up until the night before they had been._

_Once Randall was out from under the house, Rhys had turned back to me. His harangue continuing from where it had left off. I'd known that Rhys thought I was a burden, that my messy family life was all my fault, but I'd hoped he'd put that aside for a few moments._

_He got so caught up in his tirade that when I tried to turn away he had grabbed me and turned me back to him. I cried again, unable to control my emotions and begged him to give me some space._

_So he hit me._

_He hit me hard and he hit me square in the jaw. I tripped on some rubble and as I lay, too weak to fight him on the debris cloaked street, he phased. He wanted vengeance for the loss of his family and he was going to get it from me._

_Argos weighed maybe a quarter of what Rhys did when he was in wolf form, but that didn't stop him. Argos, who could barely stand, was able to get to his feet to defend me from Rhys._

_In Argos' distraction I was able to get away from Rhys and phase myself, which was the single worse phase of my life and only made bearable because I knew that Argos would need my help._

_When I finally got my bearings back it was too late._

_Argos was dead, his blood dripping from Rhys' chin._

_I was beyond gutted. Everything was going from bad to worse and I was helpless to stop it._

_That was when Rhys chased me away, when he drove me from the town and the only family I had left. If it weren't for my fight or flight talents than he would have caught me and I knew that if he did than he wouldn't kill me._

_I lost him at the Victorian border amongst the trees of the Coopracambra National Park. And then I was alone._


	37. Green Eyed Monster

_**Paul's POV**_

I watched as Gabby heaved herself out of her chair and slowly drifted from the room. I fingered the little ring in my pocket as a small ache radiated from my stomach. I hated thinking that Gabby had gone through that. That she was ever wronged so badly.

It made me feel nauseous, that she was once hurt, and is still hurting, and I couldn't do anything to help her. I felt useless as I watched her head down the hall and then listened to her hideaway in her room. I wanted so badly to do something, to ease the pain that she so clearly felt.

The guilt grew as I realised that her current pain was, in effect, my fault. I was the one that said we deserved the truth. Now I realised that we had not deserved anything, we had no right to bring up those ghosts. I bit the inside of my cheek as I thought about what I'd just done and at what the memories were likely doing to Gabby now.

My chest contracted painfully as I realised what I needed to do, what I should have done last night. After the momentary pain I was left feeling slightly numb; I was losing someone else. In the grand scheme of things, after the tale I'd just heard, I figured the pain of not having someone to love was nothing in comparison to not having anyone, at all.

I excused myself from the room, not caring what the others would say, and headed down the hall to Gabby's room. I knocked gingerly on the door and waited for a reply. There was none. I bit my lip and opened the door.

Gabby was in there, but she had phased and was curled into a ball in the corner. She was facing away from me and the only movement that told me she knew I was there was the involuntary flick of her ears as she heard me approach. I wanted to reach out and touch her, comfort her somehow, but I couldn't do it.

The green eyed monster that lived in my stomach reared its ugly head.

I had intended to give her back the engagement ring, to tell her that I would not behave inappropriately towards her or about their engagement. I had been willing to let her be happy with Randall, as she deserved to be.

But now that I was looking at her. Now that I could smell her and hear her breathing. There was no way that that selfish part of me could let her be with him.

It was different to how I felt about Rachel, it should have been weaker but it wasn't. Rachel was with John and when I saw them together I knew they wanted to be together, I knew they had to be together because Rachel would never be with me.

But Gabby had kissed me, she'd wanted to kiss me. And she was with me. I didn't care that Randall had proposed, that Randall had given her this stupid ring. Gabby wasn't really his, she'd sent him away. She'd asked him to leave so she could stay with us. She could stay with me. I could convince her of that, I knew I could. Because when I kissed her, she kissed back.

I knelt down beside her, not caring whether she wanted me there or not. She needed me. Okay, so maybe she just needed someone but I was here. Where was Randall? He was probably running away right now, following the orders of the coward of an Alpha. I was here, and Gabby was in need. I had to do something.

I reached out to Gabby, nervous to the pit of my stomach. I had never touched Gabby in wolf form, not in an affectionate way, and I knew that she reverted to this form when she was feeling exposed or afraid. I knew that there was a good chance she would try to bite me but I couldn't not touch her. Whenever she was around it was all I could think of, touching her. Touching her hands, her hair, her face. Any part of her body that was exposed to me, that was what I wanted to touch.

As I looked down at her huddled body it wasn't the wolf that I was thinking of, it was the woman. The athletic woman who was shaded with hints of being fine and delicate, the woman who haunted my dreams and had me sweating in my sleep.

My fingers brushed against her fur and her skin twitched, but still she just lay there. I let my hand push harder against her coat and was surprised at the feel.

Where mine and my brothers' coats were soft and bushy all over, and our hairs were fine and woolly, Gabby's was just the opposite. Her coat was shorter and although it was thick the hairs were coarse and prickly. I loved that she felt different, I had just not expected it from the bushiness of her mane.

I pushed my fingers into her coat, digging them down to the hot skin. I could have spent the rest of my life doing this, inspecting every inch of her pale golden coat. As long as she didn't complain I was going to continue playing with her fur.

Unfortunately my body wasn't aware of my want to play with Gabby's coat and after, I'm not sure how long, my legs started to cramp. I looked around for some way to sit down, not wanting to break contact with Gabby's skin. I dropped awkwardly sideways and adjusted my position to sit against the wall on the edge of Gabby's dog bed. I could barely believe she was still using that bed.

I wished that she wasn't.

The thought of her in human form, lying curled up on the bed where I could lie beside her and stroke her hair, had me feeling a little too excited. I pulled my knees up to my chest to make sure that there was no way she could see my... growing affection. I felt dirty to be thinking of that when Gabby was hurting, but I couldn't help myself.

I kept massaging the base of her skull, I could feel the definition between where the skull ended and the neck started and I wondered if she actually liked me touching that spot. All I could go off was her physical reaction, and all she was giving me in that regard was a lack of movement. She didn't pull away or press into my hand, the best I could really guess was that she didn't care either way for my touch.

It upset me. That she wasn't showing any emotion towards me. I wanted her to be open with her feelings, to be honest. If I was being honest, I just wanted her to act like she liked me. Whether it was the truth or not, I'm sure I would have accepted any type of affection from her.

Gabby whimpered. I couldn't be sure what she meant by it exactly but I stopped rubbing her neck, concerned she was voicing her discomfort. She stretched and fidgeted a little before getting to her feet. From my spot on the floor she looked massive, and fairly intimidating, and she looked me straight in the eye.

I wanted so badly to read something good in her eyes. I wanted to see her love for me, in fact I would have settled for lust if that was being offered. I wanted her to reciprocate my oh-so-confusing feelings, but she didn't. All I could see in her eyes was the shimmer of pain that softened her face.

The scars on her face were frightfully clear. I could see each separate bald scar that radiated from her golden eyes. Her skin wasn't black like everyone else that I knew, it was pale brown, a liver colour and normally her light fur blended well with her light skin. She stared at me with agonizing eyes for a few moments before turning in a circle and settling back down.

I smiled as she lay down. Because this time she lay with her side pressed to the corner and her head rested beside my outer thigh. The top of her head tucked firmly against my hip and I dropped my arm to rest it along her neck, I played with the fur on her shoulder and she nestled her head into me.

I couldn't deny that I liked how this felt, just the two of us.


	38. Rubbing It In

_**Jared's POV**_

I was glad that I hadn't let Kim come with me this time. I'm certain she would have vomited at the thought of something so horrible. My sweet, gentle Kim was never good at hearing about the unfair things that happen in the world, I'd had to ban her from watching the Animal Protection Society shows because they made her cry when pets were found in bad condition.

Gabby's comments to Emily last night, suddenly made a lot more sense. Gabby's behaviour in general made a lot more sense. None of us could know what it was like to lose your family like that, and then have what was left turn you away. I found thinking about her family disowning her difficult to imagine happening to myself, to hear that she had watched her biological father slaughter part of her family and then been abandoned... I didn't want to know what that was like.

Sam was quiet. Sitting beside Emily, holding her to him, as he thought about what we'd just heard. I knew he was now thinking about standing up to Stendahl. We all knew it was the right thing to do but we, or at the very least I, had been worried about it since we'd heard what he'd done to poor Gabby.

"What _do_ you think they're doing in there?" Emily broke the silence and it took me a few seconds to register what she'd said.

Paul had followed Gabby to her room well over an hour ago and we hadn't heard anything since. I hadn't really bothered thinking about it, after what had just happened I was sure that whatever was happening was totally innocent. Despite his anger and often inappropriate comments, Paul wasn't unfeeling and I knew from the look on his face as he'd left that he was fully aware of exactly what we'd just heard.

"Nothing." Sam said simply, "Paul wouldn't do anything."

"It's hard to think she's been through all that." Emily mused.

I agreed with her. I knew she was angry, Kim had always said it was because she was hurt by someone close to her, but I had never thought that it got as bad as it did. The whole thing was torture. Physical and then emotional. To watch your loved ones die and not be able to do anything to help them. To then be chased away from the only support you had before having any chance to grieve.

My thoughts jumped to her comments about not telling us what Stendahl did to her sister and having to 'put her clothes back on'. Then to her cold comment last night to Emily about being skinned and bleeding to death in front of Sam. It was mind numbing in its horror.

"It explains a lot though." Sam seemed to only be half in the conversation, "Why she's so untrusting of us."

"I think it's just another way that Gabby is incredible. She's come out of that with anger and trust issues, but I'm surprised she isn't even more damaged."

"Maybe she is." Emily suggested, "Did you see how quickly she turned her only remaining family away?"

"I think that's the trust thing." I didn't really believe my own words. I'd seen the engagement ring that Randall had given Gabby. Paul had shown it to myself and Sam earlier this morning and I could barely believe that Randall had proposed.

"No, that's a Gob thing. Sorry, a Gabby thing." a thick Australian accent said from the kitchen window. I was surprised to see Randall standing there, flanked by three timid looking teenage boys. Randall followed my gaze and smiled, "We've never spent any real time with another pack before."

"What are you doing here?" Sam growled.

"Apart from demonstrating how ineffective your current patrolling party is? We're here to help, if you'll let us."

"How can you help?" I snapped. I found it strange that I accepted Gabby so easily and yet the presence of these guys had me itching to phase.

"We figured you'd probably need someone with knowledge of how Standahl's army works."

"We have Gabby for that." Sam spat.

"Gabby doesn't know how the army works. She knows Stendahl, definitely, but she never really fought the army." Randall sighed, "I won't lie to you. We want revenge and we can get that by helping you."

"Where's your Alpha?" Sam looked just as tense as I felt.

"If you are referring to Rhys then-" Randall was cut off by one of the younger boys.

"He's doing what he does best, running and hiding." I could hear the disdain in the young wolf's voice as he spoke about his Alpha and it made me wonder how Rhys ever retained control of his pack.

"You turned against your Alpha?" I thought Sam was doing well to remain as calm as he was, seeing how everything but calm was radiating from him.

"Rhys gave us an ultimatum. Fight with you guys or run and hide with him. We are not cowards and we are sick of living in the shadow of what Stendahl did to us. Please, let us help."

"You could use the numbers." Emily muttered and Sam sighed.

"Okay, but we'll need to confer with Gabby first." Sam said with a low sigh.

"Where is Gabby?" Randall asked.

"She's in her room." Emily smiled at the new comers, "Do you want to come inside?"

"Sure." Randall smiled back and turned to the front door. Sam made to open the door for them and led them in to the kitchen. Randall looked around the room, "Where's the angry guy?"

Sam's jaw clenched tightly and he seemed annoyed by everything Randall was saying.

"He's with Gabby."

"Oh." Randall sighed and I swear I saw a hurt look wash across his face. Not that it surprised me. If Kim was spending time with a guy that had just attacked me I wouldn't have been particularly impressed either.

"Why did you call her Gob before?" Emily asked, clearly sensing the awkward tension that was rising.

"Well, it's what we used to call her. She has never been Gabby to us. The pack called her Gob, her family had about four different names for her, none of them Gabby, and her human friends called her Ella." Randall smiled as Emily pulled out a chair for him.

"Why Gob?" she asked, gesturing one of the younger boys into another chair.

"It's her initials. Gabriella Orabelle Butler."

"Orabelle?" I had never heard that name before; it was a bad name in my opinion, it sounded like 'horrible'.

"Yeah, Gob hated her mum for choosing it. Gob said that it sounded like her mother thought she was horrible. Her mum said she chose it because she thought Gob was adorable." Randall laughed. I couldn't help smirking myself because I'd thought what Gabby had said.

"What were her parents like? We've only heard bits and pieces from Gabby." Emily sat back down next to Sam and watched the four strangers intently.

"Well... they were cool. Her mum was a sweet woman, you wouldn't believe how shocked everyone was when they found out about the whole Stendahl thing. Her dad... everyone knew he had anger issues but he had gotten so much better after Gob, sorry Gabby, was born. I used to wish he was my dad, he was so much more entertaining. I honestly thought it was a bad joke when I was told Freyja was in hospital."

"Who's Freyja?" I asked, slightly confused by the random appearance of the name.

"Freyja, as in Gabby's mum." Randall looked as confused as I had felt, "Has she not told you about that?"

"Oh, yes. She just called her parents mum and dad." Emily muttered and looked out the window.

There were a few moments of silence before Sam spoke again, "So... how are you... there's no nice way of putting this. How is it that you seem better adjusted than Gabby? She's so angry and untrusting, why are you not?"

Randall thought for a moment, "I'm three years older than Gabby. And I didn't experience quite what she did."

"You also had people to lean on while you grieved." I was surprised by Paul's appearance and he did not look happy to see Randall. It was far from surprising, seeing how he felt about Gabby.

It was a matter that was confusing everyone. Until a few months ago Imprinting had seemed so final, but the recent Rachel-Paul-Gabby drama was making everyone rethink their prior assumptions. Sam thought that it had a lot to do with Rachel deciding that she wanted out, he figured that Paul was doing what she wanted because she was his imprint; which made sense seeing how much it pained Paul to know that Rachel was leaving him. But it didn't explain why Paul had now latched on to Gabby. Some of the Pack were under the impression that Paul had somehow re-imprinted on Gabby now that his connection with Rachel was weakening but that didn't make sense to me.

I honestly believed that what Paul felt for Gabby was stronger than anything he'd ever felt for Rachel. Even at the most intense point in their relationship there had been a strange disconnect between them, like it was meant to be but only as a last resort. Kim was the one who noticed it first and once she'd talked to me about it I couldn't help but agree.

"Don't you dare." Randall growled and it sent a shiver down my spine. Any sort of threat against a pack member gave the same result, none of us could stand such a thing. I saw Sam tense a little and knew he had felt it too. Randall didn't seem to notice as he got to his feet and continued, "You have no idea what it was like, none! I love Gob and because I love her I did as she asked of me."

At the mention of that word my eyes flashed to Paul and I felt bad for him. I could see how the use of that word affected him, how it stabbed at him. I felt another shiver down my spine as I felt that the use of the L-word was a low blow, an intentional low blow. Paul was shaking slightly with annoyance at the comment, but his face portrayed that he was hurt more than annoyed. I wasn't sure whether it was the idea of Randall loving Gabby that hurt him or that Gabby may love Randall.

"You left her to suffer alone. If you really loved her you would have ignored that request." Paul spat through clenched teeth.

"I think we need to talk to Gabby about this, before anyone does something they'll later regret." Sam said firmly as he stood up and stepped between Randall and Paul.

"How will we know what is the go?" one of the young shifters asked as he got out of his seat and half hid behind Randall.

"Come back this evening. We'll tell you what the plan is then." Sam smiled half heartedly at Randall before gesturing for them to leave.

I was surprised, yet again, that they followed Sam's demands so quickly and precisely.


	39. Eccentric

_**Kim's POV**_

It was nice to be back in the circle after having to spend the morning on my own while everyone else found out more about Gabby's old pack and why she seemed to hate them so much. Although, I was glad that I wasn't there. Emily had told me about everything that had happened and gave me a short version of her tale, and I wanted nothing more than to curl up with Jared and cry for a few hours after she'd finished.

In fact, that was what I did.

When Gabby finally came out of her room she looked amazingly chipper for someone who had not only been abandoned, but had also just been visited by those that had abandoned her. They were probably strangers to her now. After six years without them there was little chance they could still know her as well as they used to.

It made me wonder if she really did think of us as strangers, she'd been here for a while and I did think that, a few weeks ago, she was really starting to settle in. That was until the pack smelt the presence of her old pack and all the progress she'd made looked like it was about to go out the window.

She was not impressed when she found out that Randall had come around earlier, but she had succeeded to Sam's order to let them help out. He said that they needed all the numbers they could get and Gabby had been unable to give a good reason why they couldn't be trusted. It had pissed Gabby off, and that was an understatement, to the point where she couldn't stay in Emily's house.

Sam was not going on patrol because he was concerned that Randall would show up early and wanted to be around when he did. Jared was consoling me and showed no intention of moving from my side because of it. As a result the only shifter left to go patrolling with was Paul, and Sam had gingerly ordered the two of them to patrol together without making each other angry.

I felt bad for the two of them. Until Randall had shown up it looked like they were going to get their act together and admit their attraction for one another, seeing how everyone with even half a connection to the pack seemed aware of Paul and Rachel's failing relationship. Now it looked like they would never be together, between Rachel and Randall it seemed that they just weren't going to get a chance.

Gabby and Paul had been on patrol for less than ten minutes when Randall showed up. It was at this point that Sam demanded Jared go with him and Randall so they could talk about serious pack business. Myself and Emily had gossiped the whole time they were away about how attractive and mysterious Randall was.

He was tall, even for a shifter, and decked out with a glorious mop of dark blonde hair. His jaw was smooth and square and, although I wouldn't admit it to Jared, he had an awesome ass. If it weren't for Jared I most certainly would have been all over him. And that accent, raspy and laid back, I loved it. It was kind of like Gabby's only his deep voice added to it in a butterfly evoking way.

"Do you think that he has a girl waiting for him in Australia?" I asked as I tried to spy him through the window, but they had moved too far away to get a good line of view. Paul had told me that he'd proposed to Gabby but I was of two minds about that. Or at least, about Gabby accepting it.

"I think he has one here." Emily mumbled as she poked around in the fridge.

"What does that mean?" I could barely contain my excitement.

Emily flew from the fridge, pushing the fridge door shut rather roughly as she went. She almost slid off the seat as she sat down but her enthusiasm was such that she didn't really pay any attention to it. I dropped into a seat and leant halfway across the table as if it would help me hear what she had to say sooner.

"He said something this morning." Emily looked over her shoulder, "It's a little sad but also quite romantic. He said that-" she choked a little on her words, "that he loves Gabby. He let her go because she asked him to but now he wants her back."

"He followed her half way around the world?" I found it strange to think that Gabby had never heard of Imprinting because Randall following her around the world sure sounded like Imprinting to me.

"Yep." Emily popped the 'p' and it emphasised her own excitement.

Then it dawned on me, "Paul." I sighed.

"Yeah." Emily's tone mimicked my own and we shared a silent moment.

I felt kind of sick at the thought of Paul being left out again. His relationship with Rachel had always been strained but he had still loved her, and she was now leaving him. He'd started moving away from Rachel, getting angrier as he went, and then he found Gabby. He had been worse when he'd first met her but it was like he'd run off a cliff. After he'd reached the edge, reached his angriest, he seemed to fall into Gabby. They became so close in such a short time and I could have sworn that one day soon they would be able to make it official.

For Randall to show up and say that he loved her. Randall had pulled Gabby out from under Paul and was letting him dash himself on the sharp rocks that waited for him.

I suddenly remembered the ring and was about to say something when I heard people outside.

"It's not going to be easy." The sexy Australian accent wasn't quite so sexy anymore.

Sam sauntered into the room, his face lighting up at the sight of Emily, and he swooped down to kiss her sweetly on the lips. Jared seemed to be following suit but instead of a sweet kiss he pulled a chair up and heaved me onto his lap, I loved being that close to him, feeling his warmth and his heart beat. I always wanted to be sitting on his lap, cuddling up to his body and knowing that he was mine and mine alone.

" Randall and his pack will be staying in the forest. They're going to help should a fight ensue." Sam smiled as he said this, although it was clear that he wasn't happy about it.

"Well, that's good. We can use all the help we can get." Emily mumbled as she buried her face into Sam's chest. They stayed like that for a moment before Emily withdrew herself from Sam's comforting embrace and looked at Randall, "Would you like something to eat? We have some leftover meat from last night's dinner."

"That would be lovely, we've been living off damper for way too long." Randall smiled and sat in the seat that Emily had directed him to. I wondered how she could be so nice to him considering what he was doing to Paul.

"What the hell is damper?" Jared laughed a little as he turned to get a better look at Randall.

"It's... really basic bread; made from flour and water, cooked over a campfire. It gets really boring after about the second bite. We've been eating it probably five days a week for the last five years." Randall grimaced at the thought of the 'really basic bread'.

"Flour, water and what else?" Emily asked from the fridge, sounding very curious.

"Generally, it's just flour and water. If we have milk we may use that instead of water but milk is hard to travel with."

"That sounds... delicious." Sam said with a high amount of sarcasm.

"As I said, after the second bite you feel like you've had way too much. Thank-you." Randall said politely as Emily placed a plate with a few chicken wings and drumsticks on it in front of him. I smiled, knowing that there was better meat in that fridge.

You would have thought that he'd never had a decent meal before because he polished off most of the meat within a few minutes before turning back to Emily, "Is there any chance that I could get a plastic bag to carry the rest in, please? For the others."

Emily's face became a mushy soft mess at that and I imagined that mine was the same. I may not be particularly happy with him for what he was doing to Paul but I couldn't dislike him for being so concerned about his Pack Brothers.

"Of course, but give me that and I'll pop it back in the fridge. I'll organise some meat for you when you're about to leave." Emily's voice broke with compassion.

Randall was either a really amazing guy or he was incredibly smooth and cunning. It had taken him less than ten minutes for him to make two girls who didn't really like him, fall into an almost blubbering heap at the concern he showed for the shifters in his care.

"Let's move into the lounge, it's sure to be a lot more comfortable in there. We can talk more about what you know of Stendahl." Sam suggested and led Randall out of the kitchen.

Randall slapped the counter top gently to get Emily's attention, "Thanks sweetie. It's been quite a time since we've had anything home cooked." His smile showed that he was being genuine and I felt my heart melt a little more for the tall and gorgeous blonde. It was no wonder that Gabby would accept a proposal from him.

It came to me that Emily might not know about that and I waited back with her while the guys headed into the lounge.

"He's real smooth." Emily muttered as she went about putting together a collection of meats for him to take back to the three teenagers that he'd left somewhere in the forest.

"It makes sense though." I whispered not wanting the guys to hear me.

"What makes sense?" Emily looked up from the roast beef she was cutting.

"Well, Gabby's decision." Emily looked even more confused and I figured that Sam hadn't told her, "Randall proposed to Gabby. Paul saw him give her the ring. He, Paul that is, actually has the ring and I'm telling you it is the most gorgeous thing you've ever seen."

Emily's face dropped, she looked gutted. When the colour rushed from her face, I rushed from her side to grab a chair to sit on, but she refused it. She stood there motionless and stared at the floor.

"That's... well... I suppose that's good for Gabby but... poor Paul." she started to weep softly and by the second silent sob Sam was at the kitchen door.

"Em..?" he looked pained and confused.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered.

"Tell you what?"

"That Gabby and Randall are... engaged. Why would you send Paul out there with her, knowing that?" Emily whispered although I could tell she was straining to keep it at that.

"I didn't get a chance. And we don't have a lot of choice. We need all available bodies on patrol." Sam pulled Emily into a gentle hug, "Things will work out, I promise."

"But what about Paul?"

"We'll be here when he needs us."

"He loves her."

"I know. When things settle down, it'll be better."

Suddenly, Emily's face morphed from one of shock to one of a woman possessed. She pushed away from Sam and near ran into the lounge room, Sam and I hot on her heels. She burst through the door and scanned the room for Randall.

"Tell me, Randall. What was Gabby like? I mean, before she lost her family and you abandoned her." I knew that she had meant that jab, that she was striking a blow for Paul's sake.

Randall looked hurt by it but he didn't say anything about it, "She's not like she is now.

"She used to be kind and gentle. When she was at school or around adults she had the absolute best manners, never spoke out of turn. But get her away from authority figures or formal situations and she was insane.

"She'd crap on about the stupidest, most deranged topics you could imagine and she made her friends smile just by walking into the room. She was funny too, always knew how to have a good laugh or make a good joke. Sometimes she went a little too far but it usually just meant that you were laughing at how far she could go without cracking up herself.

"She was eccentric." He finished.

"What else? I want to know more about her."


	40. Letting Go

_**Gabby's POV**_

It felt a little strange walking through the forest with Paul, not awkward strange or stupid strange, it was hard to explain the type of strange it was. At one moment he would be walking so close to me that his fur caught mine and tickled the skin, then the next moment he was pacing twelve metres ahead of me and not seeming to want to be anywhere near me.

To make matters worse I was having difficulty tapping into his thoughts. Which annoyed me because I knew why it was so hard. Randall. And Mitchell, Josh and Xavion. The second they had shown up the connections that I'd formed with the La Push Pack had started to dissolve and seeing how my connection with them, Randall and the others, was only strong when they were within eyesight, I was back to being alone in my head.

The awkwardness wasn't helped by the fact that the bones in my left foreleg were aching madly. The healed break was weakened every time I phased and would keep doing so until it was re-set. I got the feeling that Paul had noticed my limp early into our patrol and that it was upsetting him almost as much as it pained me. The idea of having to re-break the bones wasn't particularly appealing to me, but it was tricky to stop thinking about it, especially after the idea of Paul having to re-break it came to mind. And it reached a point where Paul was all I was thinking about, it was annoying.

I wanted to talk to Paul. After his affectionate display this morning all I was able to think about was getting the chance to talk to him in private and ask him what was wrong. I was fairly oblivious to most things involving social interactions but I couldn't help but notice that Paul's behaviour was flip flopping so much it was giving me a head ache.

I realised that I had just been lost in my own thoughts and when I looked ahead of me I couldn't see Paul, and he wasn't beside me either. I stopped and took a proper look around, finding him standing a hundred metres behind me, in human form. I cocked my head at him, he must have changed a little while ago because he was wearing his shorts already.

"We need to talk." He sounded torn as he spoke.

I wished I could yell at him that that was what I wanted to do, that I'd been trying for the last half hour and was getting absolutely nowhere, "You've got a shirt stashed in that tree there." He said pointing to the tree just to my left.

I phased and unfastened the knee length shorts that were tied loosely around my ankle, pulling them on before retrieving my top. I wasn't too concerned with him seeing me naked, since becoming a wolf nudity hadn't fazed me much and seeing how he'd already seen me naked... how he'd touched my bare flesh... I gulped and tried to push back the memory of how it felt to feel his body pressed against mine.

"About what?" my voice broke a little as I spoke and I felt more than a tad stupid because of it.

"Well... I just wanted to say that... I'm sorry. For how I've been treating you of late." my heart tightened at that, I had enjoyed the way things had been between us until yesterday afternoon. I didn't want him to be sorry about it. "You were right, when you said it was wrong."

I was upset that he was agreeing with me, I had been emotional and didn't know what I was saying. That kiss hadn't been wrong; it had been good, very good. I gulped again before saying anything, "You're confusing me."

"Honesty is best and that's why I feel the need to tell you this." He took a big breath and sighed heavily, "I think I love you."

I couldn't help my reaction, I didn't think I just acted and once I'd done it I knew it was the wrong thing to have done. I stepped back, away from Paul, even though a large part of me wanted to launch myself at him.

I was surprised at how quickly these feelings had overtaken me. Only a few weeks ago I thought little of Paul, in a romantic way that is. Then, this morning, when he had been rubbing my neck, it kind of dawned on me. I liked it when he touched me, I really liked it. Even the most innocent of touches had my skin prickling. I had loved it when we kissed and I wanted to do it every day for forever.

"Did you hear what I said?" Paul said after some extended silence, I wasn't sure why I couldn't talk to him now since I'd had so much to say before.

"What? Oh, yes. I just..." I didn't know how to end that sentence so, like a fool, I just stopped.

"Anyway, I just thought you should know how I feel but... don't feel pressured to be nice to me or anything. I just want you to know, more than that last bit, I won't stand in your way. It may be difficult to begin with but I'll find a way around it."

"Okay, you've lost me for good this time. Stand in my way to what? What is going to be difficult?" this time I stepped towards Paul. Confusing myself once again with my own actions.

"You and Randall."

"Me and Randall what?"

"Your engagement. I won't stand in the way of your happiness, and it will be difficult, I want you to choose me over him but if you really want him then I'll learn to deal."

"You think I'm engaged to Randall!" I choked as I stared at him in utter bemusement, "That's... I... where the hell did you get that ludicrous idea from?"

"He gave you an engagement ring." Paul looked almost as confused as I felt.

It took me a few moments to realise what he was talking about. He must have seen Randall give me my father's ring and assumed it was some sort of proposal. Then Paul's attack was one of... well I wasn't sure what I'd call it but it wasn't an attack of general rage.

I was overcome with emotion and bridged the short gap between myself and Paul. And kissed him.

_**Paul's POV**_

I was momentarily motionless as Gabby's soft lips crashed into mine. But it didn't take long for my senses to come back and I joined in with this beautiful moment. I loved the feel of her lips, and I brushed my tongue against her lower lip, begging her to let me take control. She gave in quite easily and in my excitement I started pushing her back. She collided with a tree with a small 'omph' but didn't falter in her passionate kiss.

This was what I'd being praying for, ever since I'd seen Randall holding that ring.

The feel of her smooth body, wedged between me and the tree, pinned into place so that I could inspect every part of her and know she wouldn't move anywhere. I slid her t-shirt up to touch her bare flesh. My skin burnt where it touched her but, like a masochist, I loved it and the burn just made me want to touch more of her. Her skin twitched deliciously and I knew that she felt it too. That she loved it like I did.

She wrapped her arms around my neck, resting her firm triceps on my shoulder. I felt them flex as she pushed them down on my shoulders and pulled herself up to wrap her legs around my waist.

I kissed her harder, needing to connect with her more. It had felt like months since I'd been able to kiss her, let alone be this passionate about it. The force of my kiss pushed her head back into the tree and for a split second I was concerned I may have hurt her. The longing moan that escaped her when I backed off a fraction told me she was fine and I continued with my assault.

Gabby groaned as I kissed along her jaw to her delicate ear and it just about tipped me over the edge. I nipped at her earlobe and she let out a short whimper, but it was a good whimper and it resonated in the pit of my stomach, making me press myself harder against her.

The kiss slid down her fair neck, until I came across the startling smoothness of a long thin scar. It startled me because I had never noticed it before, but I could certainly feel it now. I sucked on the soft skin and Gabby moaned again.

"Paul." she breathed as I kissed the faint scar. My insides exploded at the sound. So raspy and filled with lust. She kept saying my name, kept moaning for me. That was what I'd really been waiting for, that sound, the way my name sounded as her voice dropped into a thicker than normal accent. She was starting to lose control and I loved hearing it.

A long, loud howl filled the late night and I cursed into Gabby's skin. It was Brady, trying to find me and tell me that he and Collin were taking over from us. Well, hopefully not truly taking over. I cringed at the thought of Collin and Brady in the position we were currently in.

With great difficulty I pushed away from the tree and Gabby slid down to sit amongst the roots. I knelt down to kiss her again, wanting to taste her lips one last time. She complied and kissed back, momentarily allowing us to slip back to a few moments before. It was just as hard to pull away the second time, but somehow I did.

I turned away from Gabby and stumbled out of my shorts. I heard the breath catch in Gabby's throat as I did and it meant that I had to wait a moment longer. Getting the thought of Gabby out of my head, before I phased, was hard when I knew she was sitting just behind me, watching me. I risked it, phasing for just a moment to tell Brady that I got his message and we'd found nothing suspicious.

'Why-' I phased back before Brady could finish his thought, knowing that I was lucky to hold my own, not so innocent, thoughts back as long as I had.

I stepped back into my shorts and turned to Gabby, her copper eyes were darkened with lust and I had to fight back the urge to pounce on her. The sight of her, sitting there looking so appealing, in a very fragile way, had me motionless and thoughtless. Thoughts started but they were drowned out by my own body telling them to shut up.

"We should probably head back. They won't expect us to stay out here much longer." her accent was still shockingly strong and for a moment I couldn't decipher what she'd said. I'd never found the Australian accent that attractive before but now it had my normally baggy shorts feeling a little tighter than normal.


	41. One Knee

_**Paul's POV**_

The walk back to Sam's took longer than it should have. Mainly because I kept getting the urge to touch Gabby, to check and make sure what had just happened wasn't some sort of horrible trick that my mind had played on my body. And when I touched her she always reacted in kind, which more than once led to a minute of disrupted travel as we kissed.

It was a strange feeling. Kissing Gabby so openly when for so long the best we'd gotten was a kiss in the hall of Sam and Emily's. I liked it, being able to kiss Gabby just because I could.

Maybe it wasn't the best thing to do. If any of Jacob's pack was around than it would likely cause more issues with Jacob. I was starting to understand why Gabby didn't like him, although it was for different reasons.

It struck me that I was thinking about Jacob when I could be thinking of Gabby. I could be kissing Gabby. I noticed that she wasn't beside me anymore and I was grip with fear that she may have left me again. My mouth dried and my stomach dropped.

I glanced over my shoulder and the fear blew away.

She was staring at something on the ground, her eye brows furrowed and her mouth pursed. I found it strange that despite the warmth that was buzzing between us, she was frowning.

"What's wrong?" I whispered as I stepped back towards her.

She looked up at me with a slight frown, "You're Pack needs to work on border protection. Xavion's been here." She added at my concerned look.

"Who's Xavion?"

"One of my old pack." She breathed in his scent, "He'd be twelve now."

"Twelve..?" I sighed. Sam was going to ask twelve year olds to help fight a monster. The monster that slaughtered their families more than six years ago.

"Yeah..." Gabby mumbled absentmindedly as she looked over her shoulder towards the trees.

I glanced back at Sam and Emily's, wondering if they knew how close we were. How close Xavion had gotten. It made me wonder how many people, how many shifters, how many vampires, had passed through our territory without us noticing.

"Come here." I jumped and looked at Gabby, confused by what the hell she was talking about.

Movement in the forest caught my eye and I reached to pull Gabby back to me. She resisted but I refused to let go of her arm.

A small black wolf stepped out of the forest, it had a long thin face, large eyes and satellite ears. He had a solid black mask, legs and ears, while the rest of his slight body was mottled with gun metal grey. As he left the forest he wagged his tail, it was thicker and bushier than any wolf tail I'd every seen, with a bright white tip.

He wasn't a wolf, he was a fox.

Gabby pulled out of my grip and opened her arms to him in a gesture to offer the big fox a hug. I'd never seen her show any interest in hugging anyone, I don't think I'd ever just hugged her.

The fox didn't seem to realise that this was an abnormal thing from Gabby and he bounded forward. Rubbing his flat mottled forehead against Gabby's arm. She moved with the force of his gesture and stepped beside him to hug his heavily maned neck.

The green eyed monster in my stomach growled, Gabby had never hugged me like that before. Although it was a hug with simple affection in it, like the kind that you'd give a friend that you hadn't seen in a while. But that didn't stop me from feeling a little jealous.

Gabby was mumbling into the fox's mane and it whined and chattered like a lap dog. I'd never seen Gabby sow this sort of affection towards anyone ever before and she laughed as she pushed against the overgrown canine.

"A fox, huh?" Gabby sighed as she stepped away from him, "Last time I saw you, you were three foot nothing and weighed less than my packed school bag."

He chortled a bark and licked Gabby's face. She smiled but I could see the sorrow that grew being the happy mask.

I made my way to her to pull her into a hug, half expecting her to pull away, but she didn't and I was able to pull her back into my chest and hold her there. She reached up to touch my arms that crossed over her slight shoulders, the touch was gentle and soothing; to both of us, I was sure of that. So I rested my cheek against her head and noticed the hint of joy that lessened the sorrow.

There was a short, monotonous bark and I looked towards the forest to see two dingoes standing in the moonlight. They were almost identical in coat and height but differed in their body shape, with one being thin and wiry compared to its stocky companion.

"That's Mitchell and Josh." Gabby sighed and the dingoes trotted towards us.

I recognised the stockier one as the dingo I had chased the other day. I could only tell by the smell because it was too dark, and I was face to face with it, to really compare it to my memory. It seemed to recognise me and back off a little as they got closer.

The fox sniffed at me and huffed. Gabby threw it a sharp look and it backed away, "Randall says they aren't used to wolves. Not since I left."

_**Jared's POV**_

"So, when did you first meet her?" Emily's flood of questions just didn't seem to end.

I wasn't sure how long we'd been hearing about the old Gabby, the Gabby that I could only just recognise as possibly being the one we knew.

For the first fifteen or so years of her life everything had been so normal. Boring even. Much like the lives we lived only she knew about shifting before it happened to her. She'd apparently been quite popular, or at least everyone knew her name even if they didn't like her. And sometimes the way Randall described her it was like he was talking about a different person, someone similar but so very different.

"I met her for the first time when she was just a few months old. Apparently I poked her in the eye and made her cry." He smiled at that, the way someone would if telling a funny story from their childhood.

"When she told us about Stendahl's attack she said she stole some of your chocolate." That didn't sound like a question but from the way Emily looked at Randall it was clear that she intended for him to say something.

"Did she? I never knew but it wouldn't surprise me. She was always leaving me notes saying that she'd stolen something of mine." Randall sighed and I was going to ask Emily to stop asking questions but she was too quick.

"Did you always have that sort of relationship?"

"Our relationship never changed. It's the same today as it was ten years ago and it'll be the same in another ten years." Randall was smiling again, "I remember when I was really little I used to sit on our grandmother's lap and torment Gob. 'My Ganna' I said and she'd get really upset. She'd fight back for a little while but once she started to cry I got in trouble.

"I guess it's kind of ironic that I used to tease her with that. Seeing how she actually was my biological Ganna and not Gabby's." His smile fell again as he stared at his feet.

"So, when did you two start dat- hold on..." Emily looked confused, "Gabby thought your grandmother was _her_ grandmother?"

"Yeah." Randall looked confused himself, like it was the most obvious thing, "Her dad and my mum were brother and sister. In fact, my dad and her mum were brother and sister too. We used to call ourselves double cousins."

Everyone in the room just looked at each other.

We had all thought that Randall had proposed, Paul had been so certain that was what happened. He'd been heartbroken over the idea that Gabby may be in love with someone else and we had all believed that he was justified in his assumption.

I suddenly liked Randall a lot more. There was no way that he had proposed to Gabby.

The back door slammed and we heard two sets of footsteps making their way up the hall. Gabby and Paul came into view, standing closer now than they had ever stood in public. There was a content smile on Paul's face and an oversized one on Gabby's. After her reaction this morning I expected it to disappear when she saw Randall but it didn't.

"Did you know that Paul thought we were Tasmanian? Apparently everyone here did." Gabby bubbled and I guessed she was being friendly because I had no idea what the hell she was talking about in regards to Tasmania.

"That explains the barrage of questions and that really weird look I just got." Randall laughed.

"Could you imagine? If... we... ewww!" Gabby pretended to gag on the thought and I couldn't help but smile.

"Why did you think that?" Randall turned to Sam who had turned a little red from embarrassment at making an incorrect assumption.

"We thought you'd proposed to her." He muttered.

"Why?" Randall breathed.

"Paul saw you giving her an engagement ring." I shrugged with a look at Paul.

Gabby turned to slap him on the shoulder, "You're an idiot."

"Where is the ring?" Randall asked, "I went back to find it but it wasn't there."

We all looked at Paul and he looked a little confused for a moment. Then his hand swooped into his pocket and retrieved the shining diamond ring. It didn't look at all like something Gabby would ever really like, and yet it suited her perfectly.

I was more than a little surprised when Paul dropped to one knee and held the ring up to Gabby. He couldn't possibly be ready to propose to Gabby just yet. He wasn't seriously going to propose with someone else's ring.

Was he?


	42. Abandonment Issues

_**Gabby's POV**_

I looked down at Paul with an incredulous stare, the ring glinting back at me in the artificial light of the hall.

"You are joking, right?"

"Of course." Paul laughed as he stood up, "I've already planned a much better proposal than this." I continued to stare at him, "Once again, joking."

He gestured for me to take the ring and I obeyed.

The second I touched it the memory came back and I zoned out thinking about it.

"_I bought it for our twentieth anniversary, do you think she'll like it?" dad had asked me with so much enthusiasm that it seemed to reverse his age just a little. He had reminded me of a three year old in a milk bar with five dollars for lollies._

"_It's beautiful. Where did you get it?"_

"_A jeweller in Melbourne, the sales lady said she thought it was the best ring they've ever designed. So, do you think your mother will like it?"_

"_She'll love it, and if she doesn't you can always give it to me."_

"_Ha!" dad had grunted the laugh as he took the ring back, "You don't wear jewellery and I've spent too much on this for it just to be lost amongst the crap on your bedroom floor."_

"_Oh, come on Dad. I'd start wearing _dresses_ for that ring."_

"_Regardless, it wouldn't look right. It is actually an engagement ring but I figured, since we're already married it didn't really matter."_

"_Regardless," I said with a mocking tone as I followed him into the house, "I still want it."_

_Dad had turned back to me at that point with a fake frown on his face, but he hadn't been able to keep that up too long, as he burst into excited laughter and put me in a head lock, "Find yourself a block, and spend another five years talking, then he'll buy you one of your own."_

"_Five years?" I had cried as I tried to pull out of the head lock, "But I want one now."_

I honestly believe that was the last time I'd ever seen him smile.

The ring's white gold band was square and set with two beautiful princess cut diamonds, one crystal clear and the other black. The large white diamond was set on top of the smaller black diamond, with the points of the gems only just touching. I remembered thinking that it was such a unique looking ring, I loved unique.

"Typical Gob, always spacing out at the most inappropriate times." I heard Randall laugh and turned to him.

"Don't you start, Randalph Floyd Odegaard-Butler. At least I don't add extra letters to my nickname."

"So there aren't two 'b's in Gabby?"

"Yeah, but that makes sense. Replacing 'ph' with an 'l' is not as logical." I was starting to feel a playfulness coming on that I was sure the others, with the exception of Jared, had seen.

"Where's the logic in spelling Randolph with two 'a's. Where's the logic in giving your daughter a middle name that sounds like 'horrible'?"

"That wasn't our choice; that was our mothers, blame them for that."

"Whatever." Randall said dismissively and I don't know how but it got me thinking of something a little more serious.

"Where's Rhys?"

Randall looked out the living room window, "No idea. He told us that we could fight Stendahl or go with him, but he was not going to stay."

"So, you've taken over?" I prayed that it would be a simple answer but I doubted it actually would be.

"For the moment."

"There is no 'for the moment'."

"Why not? Someone better may come along."

"And what are the chances of that?" I knew I sounded spiteful but didn't care. Paul tightened his arms around my waist and I wanted to push him away but couldn't bring myself to do it, "You need to be prepared for it to be a permanent arrangement."

"Even if I know I can't do it."

"But you can, I know you."

"And I know you." Randall said with a sneer.

"That doesn't have anything to do with this."

"It has everything to do with this. You wouldn't be here if it didn't."

"What is he talking about?" Paul whispered in my ear before I could say anything else.

I turned to look at him, not sure if I wanted everyone knowing what we were talking about. I didn't mind Paul knowing, since this morning I'd wanted him to know everything about me. I didn't like it. I wasn't used to needing anything from anyone but all of a sudden I needed Paul. It was annoying.

Randall decided he couldn't wait for me to answer Paul and I could hear the enjoyment he took in blabbing about my old life, "Butler's have long been high on the hierarchy of our pack. Wayne wasn't a Butler but he was the most experienced and the strongest so he took the Alpha position. His Beta was Gabby's dad, Ewan Butler, and the third in command was our uncle, Lloyd Butler Jr. Uncle Henry was sixth in command and Gabby, at sixteen years old, was ninth in command.

"She's a born Alpha, never meant to be anything less."

The reaction from everyone fell into one category, shock, although their exact actions varied. Emily gasped and Kim gawked at me. Jared and Sam shared a disbelieving glance between themselves before staring at me. Paul's grip tightened around my waist. I wasn't sure whether it was really that surprising, I felt a little offended that they were that shocked.

"You're an Alpha?" Paul's tone baffled me a little. He sounded shocked, impressed, proud and something else that I couldn't quite decipher.

I wanted to punch Randall, "No. I'm not, by blood, a Butler. I did not inherit the Butler Dominance."

That's what we'd called it. Butler Dominance. The Butlers were a small family, stemming from my great grandfather Floyd Butler who was Alpha for almost twenty-three years. His son Lloyd, my 'grandfather' was Alpha for twenty-six years. At the time of Stendahl's attack there were four regularly shifting Butlers – not including me, seeing how I wasn't really a Butler – all of whom were within the top fifteen wolves of the pack.

"You know as well as I do that you are a Butler. Ewan raised you as a Butler, he taught you to be a Butler." Randall turned to Paul, "How does it feel to be doing an Alpha?"

"Randalph!" I gasped, strangely embarrassed by the suggestion.

"I'll find out soon enough." Paul growled softly in my ear and I could feel myself blushing as my pulse raced.

I needed to get out of this current situation because the longer I stayed here the more childish I felt. I hadn't blushed since I was sixteen and I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt this awkward. As I looked around the room I saw everyone watching me and I kicked out at Randall, missing him as I knew I would.

I turned around and pushed Paul away from the lounge, towards my bedroom.

_**Paul's POV**_

I have to say it was a pleasant surprise to learn that what we'd hypothesised about in jest was actually true.

When I found it I couldn't help but feel a little... well, aroused. Now she had me alone in her bedroom and considering everything that had happened tonight I was feeling kind of lucky. She sat down on the bed and pulled her knees up to her chest.

"Why didn't you tell us?" I asked as I sat down next to her.

"Because I never felt like an Alpha. Technically, I was first in line for that job after the attack but I wasn't in the right state of mind to be Alpha." She sighed and stared at the floor.

"I think you'd make a great Alpha." She looked at me in disbelief, "I do. You're strong, smart and, I saw you with the young ones earlier, your loving. That's what you need to be an Alpha."

"I'm none of those things, at least not in the proportions needed for an Alpha." I loved her modesty. The way she blushed when she was complimented. She was normally so strong and confident, to see her blush was something special.

"I think you are." I reached out to graze my thumb over her cheek, "You know what else? I think it's hot."

She looked at me like I was losing the plot, "You think my abandonment of my pack is hot?"

I rolled onto my knees and leant forward, brushing my lips against hers. The electricity was intoxicating but I was able to pull away before it became too much, "No. I like the thought of you giving orders."

I kissed her again, allowing myself to get as carried away as Gabby would let me. She let me get pretty far. We were lying across the bed, our hands roaming each other's bodies, when she stopped me.

She smiled up at me, "If you like orders so much then... I think we should stop."

"Why?" I breathed as I leant down to kiss her collar bone.

"Because I know what you're thinking and..." she seemed to be lost for words so I stopped to look her in the eye, "I want to but..." she looked at the door.

I knew what she was worried about. We were in a house, half filled with shifters who could almost hear our heartbeats from the other end of the house. I had always thought that she was a free spirit, seeing how little nudity fazed her, but clearly sex was another matter.

"Okay. But only because of your Alpha status." I smiled.

She grimaced back at me but it quickly turned into a smile of her own. She pulled my face back down to kiss her, and ran her hands down my back. The feel of her firm touch made me groan and my groan just seemed to egg Gabby on.

I wished this never had to end.


	43. Mine and Yours

_**Warning:**_

_**This chapter contains strong sexual references (ie a sex scene). If you do not feel comfortable reading such things you can either skip this chapter (it won't really affect the story should you skip it) or only read to when Paul and Gabriella go off on 'Backup Patrol Duty'.**_

_**Gabby's POV**_

I didn't like it.

Sam was letting Randall and the boys stay, although I wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or not, but the bit that was annoying me was that Randall was leaning on me too much. We fought everyday over his reliance on me, either verbally in human form or physically in canine form. This didn't help matters because, although I almost always lost the verbal fights, I kept winning the physical ones and Randall would then claim that was proof that I was an Alpha.

Paul had liked the idea to begin with, until Jared pointed out that me being Alpha of Randall and the boys would mean that I was no longer a member of Sam's pack. Now he detested the idea and became angrier than me when the topic was brought up. At least I knew that he would always defend my decision to not be Alpha.

Randall had trained the boys well over the last few years, I knew Rhys had nothing to do with it because he was a self-entitled little maggot that never did anything that risked injury. But they were young and I didn't like the idea of any of them being involved in fighting, even though they were keen to join in.

'We deserve the chance to get a little revenge.' Xavion whined as he sat proudly to my left, watching Josh and Mitchell sparring.

It had been two weeks now and the longer they stayed the stronger the connection became, much to my dismay. I no longer needed to see them to hear them; Randall was patrolling along the northern border and I could make out the soft whispers that were his thoughts. I particularly didn't enjoy this because it was giving them all the impression that I was rejoining the group.

My connection with Sam's pack had returned to its normal mid-ground, where I could send and hear only a fraction of thoughts. My connection with Embry was the same as ever and he was spending most of his time with me and the other 'Aussies' as we were now called.

'You deserve a chance at a normal life.' I growled only half paying attention to Xavion as I critiqued the style of the young dingoes fighting in front of me.

'I think that possibility went to shit about six and a half years ago. Remember? When Stendahl killed my parents and brothers.'

I felt that was a low blow but Xavion was determined and cunning and he'd learnt within a few days that bringing up Stendahl would often get me to reconsider my position. It wasn't going to work this time.

'That was uncalled for.' Randall growled through the connection, I could barely hear him but I knew that Xavion heard him perfectly.

'Please. Rhys has been dragging us all around the word for the last five years, following in Stendahl's wake. Do you know how many times Stendahl has threatened us?' I don't think I wanted to know that but like with most thought questions the answer came directly after the question, 'Eight.'

'Why were you following Stendahl? Was it not enough that he tried to kill you in 2005?' I couldn't believe that Rhys had been so stupid. Following the homicidal maniac that had killed his family and everyone else he knew.

'Rhys wanted revenge. After Stephen died it was all he thought about. First he wanted revenge on you but he soon realised he had no chance of finding you so he focused on Stendahl.' Josh thought. He was distracted from the fight just long enough for Mitchell to get a shot in to his tender belly.

'Keep your focus!'

'Go easy on them, Gabs.' Paul crooned as he came up behind me.

If I was in human form I would have smiled at his arrival, instead I just tried to send him happy feelings. He came up on my right, rubbing his side against mine and licking at my cheek. I moved my head away slightly so as to better focus on the young dingoes fighting in front of me. The fight was due to end soon and I had agreed to join Paul on a back up patrol after they were done.

'How can I do that? They want to put themselves in harm's way.' I sighed as Mitchell pinned Josh to the ground and held him there, 'Okay, Mitchell wins. Mitch, you're Beta now.'

'So I've replaced Randall? Awesome!' Mitch sneered, knowing that it was going to rub me the wrong way.

'No, you've replaced Josh as Randall's Beta. I am not going to get into this again. I'm going on patrol with Paul.' I stood and turned to my right, pushing Paul with me; we ran into the forest to get away from the prying thoughts of the pre-teens and Mitchell, who had recently turned thirteen.

I could barely believe that Mitchell was a teenager.

Stendahl had attacked December 28th, three days after Christmas. It was the last Christmas for which the pack had been whole. The last before my 'father' had killed, almost, everyone. I could remember the look on his face when he'd opened the robotic dinosaur his grandparents had bought him, my family often celebrated Christmas with his family. He'd been clutching the sliver toy when he'd returned to the town after Stendahl's attack and I'd watched the little boy staring at the ruins of our town with tears welling, but not the one fell down his cheek.

Now he was a dingo, small still but with massive paws that were easily larger than Randall's.

I slowed down when we reached a tree that I knew I had clothes stashed in. But I never got a chance to put them on.

We were in a deep part of the forest that didn't often get patrolled, hence why Paul and I did back up here. Back up didn't require us to be in wolf form, just that we be in the area. And here was miles from the border and miles from the town. It was like the forgotten bit of the territory that no one ever really bothered with.

The clothes were so high up in the tree that they could only be reached in wolf form. I had snatched the bundle from the tree and morphed back to my human self, but as I went to pick up the dropped parcel Paul stopped me.

He spun me around and kissed me before I could ask him what he was doing. The kiss deepened quickly and soon he had me wedged between his body and the knobbly trunk of a tall maple tree. His hands roamed my body with manic intent that was in its own curious way careful and deliberate.

The feel of him had my body numb with expectation.

He pushed harder against me and my stomach exploded with butterflies, I gasped into the kiss. His lips twitched into a smile as one hand clasped onto my exposed breast, rubbing and kneading it roughly. He'd been teasing me with these sorts of actions recently but I knew that this time he didn't intend to stop.

He paused the kiss for a moment to take in a deep breath and I knew that he could smell my arousal. A guttural groan broke from him and kicked the butterflies up a notch. The kiss moved from my mouth, along my jaw and down the neck. He nipped at my skin occasionally and it sent waves of excitement rocketing around my body.

I pressed my head back against the hardwood and arched my back involuntarily as his lips worked their way down to my unmanned nipple. His hot mouth and firm tongue worked around the supply flesh, making me ache with wanting. I had to grip the tree to hold myself up, in the void of his body pressing against mine.

His free hand slid down my stomach to rest just above my centre. My insides squirmed with my yearning. My moans echoed around me and I knew he was enjoying teasing me. I gasped his name and reached one hand tentatively forward to stroke his face. He momentarily caught my thumb in his mouth before refocusing on my breast.

In the same breath his hand dipped between my legs to feel for my wetness. It elicited another splendid growl from him and he brought his fingers back, sliding them roughly over my sensitive nub. It sent an intense wave of pleasure through every part of my body and I had to grip the trunk to keep myself upright.

Paul's mouth started dropping lower and my breath caught more the further he went. He dropped his hand from my breast and gripped my hips, holding me still as he kissed along the long thin scar that lead from the right side of my waist to a few inches below my belly button.

The proximity of his hot tongue had me writhing with wanton desire.

My breaths were short and sharp, my heart was racing and my head was swimming with lust. I couldn't believe how quickly he had gotten me here and as much as I wanted to finish I also never wanted this moment to end.

I gripped the tree harder as he spread my legs a little and his tongue darted along my fold. His hot breath rushing ahead of it and I whimpered his name into the empty forest.

He removed his tongue and trailed kisses slowly back up my body. Part of me was angry at him for not continuing what he was doing, but as his rose up my torso I was able to relax my grip on the tree, which I found to be a surprising relief.

As he straightened up, he grabbed the back of my thighs and wrapped them around my waist. I could feel his hard member as it grazed my centre and the air in my lungs was suddenly not enough. I kissed along his face and sucked on his earlobe, unable to control my own delirious groans.

Paul panted in my ear as he ground his hips against mine, the tree pressing into my back meant that I got the full force of his grind and I released his ear to liberate a heavy breath of delight. He reached down to guide himself to my core and I gasped as he slid inside. The blissful sounds coming from Paul only turned me on more as he pushed in deeper.

His thrusts started out slow and steady and we fell into a stable rhythm. I had to cling on to the tree to stop myself from moving too much but our own grunts and hushed cries fuelled passion and soon I couldn't hold the tree tight enough. Our rhythm had well and truly broken by then as the mania took hold.

We stumbled away from the tree and landed heavily on the soft ground, Paul still plunging into me with great ferocity. He fitted so well inside me and his length reached deep into my core, I felt myself edging closer to the brink with every forceful thrust that rubbed against that sweet spot.

My body began to twitch, my centre clenched around him, and I didn't need words to communicate with him. Not that I could have used them if I needed to. I pulled his face down to mine, to kiss him vigorously as my body was overcome with ecstasy and my insides gripped him tighter.

The spill of his seed prolonged my climax until my muscles felt like jelly and it was all I could do to get air into my lungs. Paul collapsed on top of me but I didn't mind, I loved the feel of his body against mine.

He stroked the side of my face as he smiled down at me, the tip of his index finger tracing the faint crack-like scars that marred my skin. His eyes were bright and his breathing haggard as he scanned my every feature.

"My beautiful Gabby." He sighed and I smiled back at him.

I normally wasn't one to condone such an objectifying remark but I couldn't refute his remark. There wasn't a single part of me that didn't believe I was his, just as we both knew that he was mine.

I laughed, "You're stuck with me now."

_**QUESTION: Should I keep this in here?**_

_I don't think the 'love' scene is particularly well written and I'm thinking it might be a little unnecessary to go into such detail over it._

_**Please tell me in a review if you think I should remove it.**_


	44. The Realisation

_**Paul's POV**_

'Seriously man. Stop thinking about it.' Jared whined as we started our patrol.

It had been three days since me and Gabby finally took the big step and I couldn't get over how amazing it was. Before I'd imprinted – if that was what that was – on Rachel I had been as aggressive in sex as I was angry. After I got together with Rachel she had been quite... reserved. But it had never been like it was with Gabby.

'Paul!' Brady snapped, 'We've heard enough.'

'Well, you could let me off patrol so you don't have to listen to it.' I sneered, half hoping they'd actually agree to it.

'Right. So you can go find Gabby and make more memories to sicken us with?' Jared scoffed.

'If I knew of something else that unbelievable then I'd be thinking about that.'

'What about the fact that Rachel's leaving this weekend?' Jared suggested, 'I can handle an hour of listening to that.'

It was pleasantly true that Rachel was leaving. I was still sad to see her go but it didn't concern or worry me as much as it used to. John could have Rachel, if that was what would make her happy. I had Gabby and I knew nothing was going to change that. I was kind of looking forward to Rachel leaving so that Gabby could move in to mine. Then we could have a little more privacy than Sam's place offered.

Sam growled, 'Paul, stop thinking about Gabby. You have more important things to concentrate on.'

I sighed my surrender and tried to focus on patrolling. It was hard not to think of Gabby, I could turn everything into something about Gabby, but I kept trying.

Jared relaxed a little, 'It's great that you're happy again but you really need to turn it down a bit.'

'That's easier when you don't bring it up.'

'Sorry. So what's going on in Gabby's old pack? Is she going to let the young ones fight?' Jared sniffed at a scent mark and rose up to scratch at it to make it clearer.

'She isn't their Alpha.' I growled, it annoyed me that everyone was under the impression that she was their Alpha. She wasn't their Alpha, she was a part of this pack, 'She doesn't have any say over what they do?'

Sam sighed, 'Paul, seriously?'

'What? Randall is their Alpha, not Gabby.'

'You can't keep denying it, man.' Brady said with a reluctant tenor.

'There's nothing to deny.'

'Paul, she was meant to be Alpha. We all know it. It's why we can't hear her properly. Like Randall said she wasn't meant to be anything less.' Jared tried to explain but I wasn't interested.

'Jacob was also meant to be Alpha and he did perfectly fine in the pack until the whole Renesmee thing.'

'That was different. We had a wolf willing to take the Alpha role. Randall clearly isn't.' Jared pressed and I could feel myself getting angrier.

'Guys, stop! Gabby is part of this pack until she decides otherwise.' Sam growled and I calmed a little.

My relief was short lived as Shane broke through in a panic, 'I smell something. Definitely vampire.'

'Jared. Paul. You're closest, head over there.' Sam demanded and Jared and I turned obedient towards where we knew Shane was patrolling with Collin.

We'd been finding vampire trails everywhere over the last few days. Gabby had said it was likely the vampires were scouting the area and that the big day was probably not far off. As a result patrols were slightly shorter and occurred at far more regular intervals.

We weaved through the trees, our feet gouging deep grooves in the soft loam and flicking clumps up behind us. The waterlogged soil was slippery and every now and then one foot would skid out from under me, thankfully I had three more to keep me upright; in human form I would be spending more time picking myself up than moving anywhere.

I could see the small chestnut wolf that was Collin racing through the trees a few hundred metres ahead of us, slightly out paced by the coffee coloured Shane. We slowly gained on them, picking up the horrendous scent ourselves. It seemed the more time I spent with Gabby the worse that smell affected me because I'd never been quite so repulsed by it.

We couldn't see a vampire moving up ahead but the trail smelt fresh, so I was hopeful.

Brady and Solomon came tearing onto the scene; Solomon accidently nudged my side as he turned into the flow of our group and I snapped at him. He knew not to take it as a personal offence because we often found hunts increased everyone's aggression but it was rarely intentional.

The trail was leading straight into the town and everyone was starting to feel tense.

I could hear Jared fretting about Kim, every imprinted wolf, or wolf with a girlfriend, couldn't keep their worrying thoughts down when trails got this close to the town. It was now that I was glad that I loved Gabby, I was worried about her but I knew she could handle herself.

A strong musky-menthol scent weaved in with the sickly sweet bloodsucker scent. I knew it to be the members of Gabby's old pack having clearly caught onto the trail.

'We're here.' Gabby suddenly slipped directly into our heads; showing us a small clearing north-east of where we were but slightly off course from the vampires trail. In the clearing was a vampire, surrounded by three orange dingoes and a black fox. Gabby's thoughts were encouraging and confident.

'Go.' Sam barked, he was heading our way as fast as he could but he knew that he may not get there fast enough.

We turned off the vamps trail as one cohesive unit and raced towards where Gabby had shown us. When we got there it was just about all over.

Two of the dingoes were holding the vampire's arms out to its sides while the Xavion, the black fox, reared up to take a hold of the vamp's head. With one, well timed, well executed, move there was the echoing sound of vampire flesh tearing. When Xavion stepped back there was a lifeless head between his teeth. The two dingoes fastened their grips and moved away from one another tearing the arms from the torso at the shoulders.

Gabby stood on the other side of the small clearing, her body held low and her hackles raised in the excitement of the hunt. There was a power that rolled off her. A strength that was so intense it was almost visible had wrapped itself around her.

She was proud of the dingoes and fox that she had been training for the past few weeks. But I sensed her concern for the dingo that I hadn't realised had fallen by the wayside. She nudged him gently to his feet and inspected him, making sure he wasn't too badly hurt before turned away from him.

The other three dashed to her and her thoughts were calm and collected as she appraised them each individually. It reminded me of wildlife docos where the mother leopard would bring back a live hare for her cubs to try and hunt. Her thoughts gentle and yet serious as she told them what they each needed to work on.

Whether I wanted to believe it or not, she really was their Alpha.


	45. Failed Relationships

_**Gabby's POV**_

I was sitting in the forest with my four little slices of Australia.

Paul was on patrol and would then be going to the farewell event – I guessed that was what it was – for Rachel. I didn't mind not being there, I didn't know Rachel that well and figured it would possibly be a little awkward if I was there.

So I was waiting for him to finish with his commitments by hanging out with a group of boys who thought I was their Alpha.

"What was it like?" Xavion pried as he inspected the cards in his hand. They were playing some form of poker, I'd never been good at card games.

"What was what like?" I mumbled as I poked at the soft ground with a long twig that bent when I pressed too hard.

"Having your boyfriend break your arm. Twice." Xavion said as he reached out to get another card from Randall, who was dealer.

"Really it was six times. Seeing how he broke three bones." Josh laughed and flicked a small stone at me.

I was momentarily lost in the memory and didn't move as the stone flew past my ear.

Paul had hated doing it, I had not been too impressed that he needed to do it, but I still didn't like anyone touching me. There weren't a lot of other options. After they had been re-broken I'd had to let Sue push them together so they healed in the right place.

"It was necessary." I sighed.

"I feel for Paul. It can't have been easy to do that. I can't help but feel I was kind of responsible." Randall grumbled as he thought about his cards.

"So you damn well should. It was you bloody fault that it happened." I made sure that Randall knew I was joking, I didn't want to upset him on such a peaceful afternoon.

"How was I supposed to know he'd get the wrong idea?"

I growled softly before answering, "You shouldn't have come here."

Randall put his cards down with an angry sigh, showing the other three what he had. They grumbled and groaned that he'd just ruined the game but he ignored them.

"We came here for you."

"I never asked you to."

Randall's hands started shaking, I wasn't in the least concerned with him phasing and didn't react, "We're family. You don't have to ask."

I looked up at him, the tip of the stick sunk into the soft ground so that when I let go of it, it remained sticking out of the ground. My breath caught in my throat at him calling me family and my arms and legs began to shiver.

"Don't you dare say it. Gabby," Randall warned, "You know I wanted you to stay and you know that genetics are not important."

My anger started to wane, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry to all of you. I should have stayed, should have manned up to my responsibilities. But you can't fight him. I can't be responsible for more deaths."

"But you can accept those deaths if it's the Quileutes you now call your pack?" Randall glowered at me and I wanted to smack him.

"If I had my way they wouldn't be involved in this either. But you've all lost your families because of me, I can't ask you to put your lives on the line too."

"Don't you get it? We don't have lives anymore. Rhys tore Australia apart trying to find you because he was desperate for revenge. For someone who claimed he loved you, he sure as hell came to hate you. Then we went overseas to hunt down the man who started the whole disaster.

"But did we go anywhere near him once we found him? Of course not, because the wanker that called himself our Alpha was too cowardly to even look Stendahl in the eye let alone get the revenge he wanted." Randall was on his feet now and I cringed away from his loud voice.

"I'm sorry."

It only seemed to make Randall angrier, "Don't tell me you're sorry! If you were sorry than you would let us attempt to take back some control. You got revenge, now it's our turn."

That went too far and I jumped to my feet to defend myself, "Revenge? Is that what I got? I tried for revenge and it got me nowhere."

"It got you here!" Randall suddenly calmed down and sank back to the soft ground, I followed with slow deliberate movements, "It got you to Paul. It got you happiness."

"Happiness..." I sighed, "I would be happier if my family were alive. I'd be happier if I hadn't witnessed the deaths of my loved ones. If my father hadn't committed suicide and left me all alone."

"I get it. But we'd all be happier if that stuff hadn't happened. Unfortunately, it did. Now you have a mate and what do we have?"

"Don't call him that." I groaned, Randall had taken a liking to calling Paul my mate but I hated that word.

He looked at me incredulously, "What do you want me to call him?"

"How about Paul?"

Randall laughed, "You really haven't changed that much."

"I have changed." I growled, "I'm not the girl I was six and a half years ago."

"No. But you're still my double cousin. You are still our Alpha, you always have been."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, "Please, don't call me that."

"I get it." Randall reached out to squeeze my knee, "You're afraid that if you're our Alpha then you'll lose your- Paul. You'll lose Paul."

"No." I gulped, "I'm afraid that I'll fail."

_**Paul's POV**_

I wanted to be there for Rachel. Make her feel like I was really going to miss her, I'm sure I would but maybe not as much as I should.

And I wasn't really there for her, my head was entirely elsewhere.

It was with Gabby, who was no doubt sitting with her little pack by the forests edge. They all seemed to like being outside a lot more than anyone else I'd ever met. I guessed it was a side effect of years of travelling, you get used to what you've got.

It was also looking towards tonight; when I could be alone with Gabby, in _my_ house and without the potential for intrusion. I was excited by the prospects of having her in my bedroom, in my bathroom, in my kitchen. Just to have her in my house and know that we were safe to do whatever we wanted, where ever we wanted, whenever we wanted.

"How are you doing?" Jared whispered as he stepped up beside me with a paper plate full of chips, cookies and cake.

"Fine." My voice caught in my throat and I shook my head to clear my not so innocent thoughts of Gabby.

"Jacob is fuming. He's pissed that Rachel's leaving and he thinks that you don't care."

I sighed heavily, "What am I supposed to do? Drop to my knees and beg her to stay? We both know that won't help anything."

"Yeah, well standing here fantasising about," Jared glanced around the room to see who was within hearing range, "you-know-who isn't helping, either."

I spied Quil nearby and figured that was why Jared didn't say her name, "I'll try, but Rachel knows what's happening and she's okay with it. I don't care about what anyone else thinks."

"So, are you still going to try and convince her to move in with you?" Jared smiled as he poked a cookie into his mouth.

"I figure Sam and Emily might like some time alone."

Jared scoffed. He knew as well as I did it had nothing to do with _Sam and Emily_ being alone.

Rachel sauntered up to me, "I'm going to head off soon and I just wanted to say..." she took a deep breath, "I hope it all works out for you. And don't let Jake get to you, he's just a little stressed."

I rolled my eyes, "He's not the only one, you know?"

"Can we not do this now?" Rachel's big brown eyes shimmered with the threat of tears.

"Fine. I'll come wave you off."

I walked with Rachel out of the living room to the front door, where everyone gathered around to hug her goodbye. I tried to smile at everyone, without looking too happy that she was leaving. Once everyone had hugged her and a few people had cried, we headed out the door to the waiting car. Billy and Jacob followed behind us.

I stepped aside while Rachel said her goodbyes to her father and brother. John was waiting in the driver's seat, he'd been sitting there for at least half an hour and I wondered how he had the patience not to honk the horn or rev the engine to speed things up.

Finally she turned to me and it was awkward. She clearly wasn't sure whether she was expected to give me some sort of kiss or if a hug would suffice. I made the first move, pulling Rachel into a tight hug. In order to make it look a little more like Jacob expected, I held on for a little longer than I wanted.

When I let her go I could see that she was crying, even though she tried to hide it from me. A part of me was upset by her crying but I didn't show it.

Rachel stepped away from me and got in the car, winding down the window to reach out and take her father and brother's hands, "I'll miss you, but I'll be back in a few months." She looked at me, "I'm sorry, Paul."

I gave a half hearted smile and a shrug.

As the car peeled away I watched in silence, wondering how soon I would be allowed to leave without raising any suspicions. I figured that if I was really as cut as an imprint should be then I wouldn't want to be around people. So I turned on my heels and took off back to Sam's.


	46. Out of Mind

_**Paul's POV**_

When I got to Sam's I walked around the house towards the voices that I heard coming from the forest behind it. I strained to here to voices, wanting to hear Gabby's beautiful twang more than ever.

"It's not as easy as that." I heard her growl and she sounded upset, so I moved faster to get to her sooner.

"Like hell it isn't. You were ninth. Ninth! In over a hundred years no yearling ever made it that high up the ranks." That voice was deep and I figured it was Randall because the younger ones still had young voices, even if they looked to be in their late teens.

"This isn't about the Ladder. This isn't Australia and I don't think I can handle what you want from me. Six years alone, remember? I'm not ready to have a bunch of ankle biters looking at me for guidance." I rounded the back corner of Sam's house to see Gabby standing toe to toe with Randall. Even from a distance I could tell that she had higher status than him, it was something in her normally relaxed posture.

"Those ankle-biters are not quite the children you paint them to be. We may never have faced Stendahl but we've been wreaking a little havoc on vampires for years now. We are not defenceless, we are not wholly dependent. We just need someone to lead us."

I made it to Gabby now and when I touched her shoulder she recoiled from me. It should have offended me that she'd react that way to my touch but somehow it didn't; I knew her well enough to know she'd never mean to offend me. She looked at me with wide eyes and I knew this wasn't the beginning of the argument.

"Maybe we should take a little break." I suggested as I reached down to take Gabby's hand. Having a higher than normal body temperature meant the touching a normal human always had a chill to it, grabbing Gabby's had was only ever warm and I smiled at it.

"NO!" Randall snapped but then calmed down, "I'm sick of dancing around this subject. We can't keep hanging around here waiting for Gabby to come to her senses. In case you forget, Gabby, Stendahl is on his way here and if we are going to fight him well, then we need a leader."

"What about you? You took on the role of Alpha and I told you that it wasn't going to be temporary." Gabby growled; angered by the insinuation that she would ever forget about Stendahl.

"I was never a leader Gabby. I inherited the Odegaard wussiness from my father. You are the only choice."

It hurt to hear him say that because I didn't think I could stand to be any less connected than I already was. I wanted to know every part of her mind, like Embry did. I wanted to know every part of her life, like Randall did. Everything Gabby was what I wanted to know.

"You can't force me into this."

"I'm not forcing you into it, I'm trying to open your eyes to it. You won't be becoming Alpha, you already are. All you need to do is name yourself as such."

"He makes a good point." Admitting that made my chest tighten and the shocked look on Gabby's face made it tighten even more.

"How can you side with him?"

"I don't want to. I want you to stay with our pack. I want you all to myself." I sighed and reached out to touch her cheek, "This is your pack. Yours. You can't turn your back on them."

She stepped closer to me, so that we were literally nose to nose. Her startling golden brown eyes looked even more pained than I felt; her gaze flashing around my face, looking for some sign that I wasn't being entirely honest with her.

I raised my other hand so I could cup both her soft cheeks. The scars on her face were faint and although I could see them all clearly they were also easy for me to overlook. Despite her often fearsome, strong appearance she looked so small and delicate at that moment.

I wasn't sure if I could resist the urge to take back what I'd just said. The green eyed monster in my stomach was grumbling, getting ready to force me to embrace her and tell her she was not an Alpha; she was mine.

I pushed it down, "You know I want you to be part of Sam's pack. Tell me you know that."

She gulped as she looked up at me, hesitating just slightly before nodding her head so softly that I almost didn't see it.

"I'm stuck with you, remember? And I wouldn't have it any other way." I leant down to brush my lips against hers. To feel her warmth.

My heart was stiff, my stomach churned. Even though she was there in my arms, I felt like I was losing her. I sensed a wane in her temperature and saw the shadow that passed over her saffron eyes.

And in that moment, I knew that she was no longer part of Sam's pack.

I lead Gabby to my front door.

The moon was high and the sky was almost cloud free, which meant that there was surprising clarity in the environment when considering the time of night.

Her hand was swallowed by mine as I just about pulled her up the single step and through the open front door. I intended to give her a short tour but when I looked at her face I knew something wasn't quite right.

"What's wrong?" It was critical that she wasn't upset or confronted by this. I didn't ever want her to feel uncomfortable.

She dropped her head and whispered, "It smells like her."

I had long ago ceased to notice what the house smelt like; to me it was just home. But now that Gabby had said it, now that I'd heard that awkward pain in her voice, it was all I could smell. It was strong too, as if it had leached into the floor and walls just to make itself more present at this moment. I wanted to kick myself for not thinking about how Rachel's scent might linger after she'd left.

"Okay." I sighed as I steered Gabby back out of the house and down the thin path to the road, "We'll go somewhere else for tonight."

"Like where?" it was clear to me that ever since her argument with Randall she was not in high spirits, even when she tried to sound positive like she did now.

"I know exactly where." I breathed as I ducked my head ever so slightly to kiss her forehead, "Do you think you can keep up?"

"It's not even a question." She smiled as we started to race towards the trees.

Once we'd vanished out of the view of the town we burst into our wolf selves, not caring for the clothes that tore apart as we phased. For a second it hurt because I couldn't hear Gabby. I heard everyone else who was currently in wolf form but not a peep from Gabby. Those I could hear were suddenly feeling sad for me and that just added insult to injury.

I focused on my race with Gabby, who had just about disappeared into the forest ahead of me. If she were grey or black I would definitely have lost her but her exquisite pale gold fur shone in the shafts of moonlight that broke through the canopy.

I caught up to her just within our little wedge of empty forest. And I eyed the tree where we had consummated the relationship last time. The psychic cringe of my pack mates made me phase on the spot.

Gabby followed suit but her feet slipped on the moist leaves and she stumbled to a rather unorthodox stop. I smiled at her; even in a moment of extreme gracelessness she was gorgeous. I dashed to her side to help her up and she took my hand graciously. Once standing on her feet she was pressed close to my body and I could feel her tender breasts and hard nipples against my hot skin.

I loved this isolated little pocket of forest.

Bowing my head to kiss her, I couldn't believe my luck. She was so beautiful and perfect, beyond anything I could have imagined before I'd met her. I was surprised that this could ever happen because I had been such a dick to her when she'd first joined the pack.

Her lips were so soft and succulent that I could barely control my desire.

It gave me an idea.

I pulled back from the kiss and looked down at my stunning girlfriend. I couldn't suppress the smirk as I thought aloud, "I think you should start practicing."

Gabby looked shocked and offended as she thought about what I'd just said. I realised it had come out wrong.

"Being an Alpha." I added, and her offence was abated.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled her body closer to me. The feel of her stomach against mine made the wolf in me howl.

"I'd rather you were the Alpha." She whispered in my ear and her voice was sultry and smooth, like nothing I'd heard from her before.

My wolf went nuts. It wanted so badly to take Alpha position in this relationship. To lay her down on the forest floor and gratify itself in her heated centre. It was too much to contain and a hoarse growl ripped from my throat.

"But if you insist..." she crooned as she pushed away from me.

My body was like a magnet to hers and as she moved away it tried to follow her; to the point where I almost fell over. My wolf snarled inside, both loving and hating what she'd just done. She knew exactly what she had just done, I could tell by the teasing smirk that graced her mouth.

I stepped towards her, reaching out to grab her waist and pull her back to me. As I did so she stepped back, wagging a finger in my face, "Did I say you could do that?"

Another growl rumbled from me.

"If I'm going to be Alpha, I think I need to set some ground rules." She'd never sounded so sexy, as she started to circle me, looking me up and down.

I stood still as she made her way around behind me, I could feel her gaze on my skin and the chill of the night air. There was something about doing this in the open, where we might be happened upon, that just made it so much more enjoyable.

On her second go round she walked closer to me, I could have reached out to touch her if I'd wanted. But with great effort, I kept my hands to myself. The tips of Gabby's slender fingers grazed along my shoulders and I gasped as my breathing was suddenly not deep enough. I wasn't sure how such a simple gesture could get such a visceral response but I didn't question it.

She spun around my left shoulder to stand directly in front of me, her erect nipples just inches from my chest. She smiled at me, "I'm sure we can make this work."

I could hold back any longer and I whipped my arms out around her, pulling her into me. The unexpectedness of my action forced some of the air from her lungs but behind the rush of air I heard the aroused groan as my cock rubbed between her legs.

She reached around behind her back, gripping my wrists and prying my arms away from her. I tried to use my shifter strength but realised it was useless because she had that same strength. She moved my hands around until they were held together behind my back. The position pressed her body tighter against mine and I heard her heart race as my member slid along her moist fold.

"You've got to learn restraint, Paul." She breathed and my wolf was begging for me to yield to it for just a moment. She ground her hips against mine and I felt delicious arousal, "You need to be taught a lesson."

She pushed away from me again, and again my body tried to move with her. She took a large step back and sank down to the forest floor. I wasn't sure what she was doing but my wolf loved every second of it. She lay on her back and propped herself up on her elbows, her feet set slightly apart but her raised knees held tight together.

Her weight shifted onto her left arm so that she could use her right to massage her breast and tender nipple. The sight of it made me groan, I wanted to be the one touching her soft flesh. She let her head fall back as her hand moved from her breast and weaved its way down her stomach.

As it slipped along her pale torso, her knees started to part. My breath hitched. She wasn't going to. She couldn't expect me to just stand here and watch her do that?

I didn't have that sort of control.

Two fingers slipped between her lips and pressed hard against her slick pink flesh. I could smell her so much stronger now and I started to literally salivate. My wolf roared inside me, throwing itself around in a lust fuelled craze.

Her breathes were more like small gasps as they caught in her throat and the glorious little moans that fell from her open mouth were like torture to me. She arched her back, pushing her perfect breasts into the air, as she rubbed harder against her sensitive clitoris.

It was too much.

I couldn't hold back anymore and threw myself forward. Miraculously sliding into place between her legs, I tore her hand away and drove myself in. She whimpered but I knew that it was a good whimper. I bent down to attack her breast.

The wolf was slowly starting to take over and I was willing to give it free rein.

Every hard thrust made her suck in a loud breath and she twisted her fingers into my hair as I worked over her silky soft breast. I nipped at her nipple and she moaned my name. And, at the mercy of my savage thrusts and oral ministrations, she couldn't stop moaning it.

Her hot walls squeezed around my penetrating member, so tight I almost thought she'd reached climax already. But she hadn't, she had further to go before that happened. The further I pushed in the louder she got and then she started begging.

"Paul." she gasped, "De- deeper. Ah. Deeper."

Soon she screamed, "Paul!" and I had to clamp my hand over her mouth. I didn't care who heard but I didn't want anyone to try and stop us.

It happened so fast that I didn't know how to react until it was over.

Gabby had rolled us over, so that she was on top and she looked slightly annoyed.

"I said, _deeper_." She grunted as she thrust herself hard against my hips and I felt my cock reach a little deeper than before.

She held her body off mine by planting her small hands on my chest and used them to support her weight as she rode me. It didn't take long for me to find the rhythm and match my thrusts with hers, the combination pushing me deeper inside her.

Her walls truly closed down on me, pulling me into her that little bit more and Gabby couldn't make a single sound as her orgasm took her over. Her eyes rolled back in her head as I joined her, my hot essence hit the back of her vagina.

She rocked her hips slowly as she came down from her high and then rolled off me to snuggle into my side.

I didn't need to hear her thoughts, not in moments like this.


	47. Cold

_**Sam's POV**_

I was seriously confused.

I could understand Gabby taking on the role of Alpha. There hadn't been a day that went by, since the arrival of the Aussies, that I hadn't been expecting to phase and be told that Gabby was truly gone this time. And Paul had taken it a lot better than I thought he would, it offended him when he read that thought but he let it ride.

Gabby had moved into Paul's after Kim and Emily decided to give the place a big clean up and sprayed it with twelve gallons of room freshener in order to get rid of the smell of Rachel. Gabby had insisted it wasn't necessary but Paul hated the thought of her being uncomfortable in any way at all.

As for their relationship... I don't know what came over them. They were both so serious and mature before they got together. Now they were going at it like rabbits. Every day, multiple times a day normally. Basically whenever they were together, and alone, thankfully.

Paul had admitted that he didn't know what came over him. Her presence just had him 'chomping at the bit'. We were happy for him but kind of sick of the lusty thoughts. I felt really bad for young Philip, who hadn't had sex for almost a year, and made sure he didn't do patrols with Paul. Mainly because if Philip reacted inappropriately to Paul's thoughts than it was likely Paul would lose it and I didn't need an angry Paul at the moment.

All of that I can deal with though. Some was a slight bit baffling but nothing was really confusing.

The confusing was why we were all gathered in my kitchen and by all I meant myself, Jared, Paul, Jacob, Leah and Gabby.

"Are you serious?" Leah's brow was furrowed heavily and her tone with thick with bewilderment.

I couldn't take my eyes of Paul. Who was silently fuming in the corner.

"Yes, I'm serious. We need to know." Gabby said firmly.

"Then send the others." Paul growled.

"They are my pack. I'm not going to send them off alone."

I got the feeling that this wasn't the first time they were having this argument.

"So, it'd just be you and Randall going?" Jacob queried. He was the only one in the room that thought this wasn't just a good idea and that there was no downside.

"Myself and Randall will go as far as needed. Xavion and Mitchell will sweep the area between us and you. Embry and Josh will be able to give you updates on what we find."

"You think Xavion and Mitchell are ready for that sort of responsibility? Maybe a few others should go with them?" Jared suggested.

I hated to admit it but Gabby was right. The best idea was for her and Randall to scout for Stendahl, they knew what to look for. The plan was for them to scout out Stendahl and his army before they got too close to the territory. We were currently doing extra large sweeps that encompassed land just over the Canadian border but everything else was guess work. We needed some hard facts about what was coming.

"You need to keep as many people here as possible. In case Stendahl gets past us or comes from another direction." Gabby was watching Paul and it was clear that she upset to be hurting him.

I sighed, "Gabby's right." Paul shot me a dirty look, "But I think Paul should go with you."

Jared choked on his own breath. Paul frowned and sunk back into the corner.

"No." Gabby was definitive, "You need every individual available to you. We'll be back in two weeks, there's no need to send anyone else."

"I don't get why you guys are so against this. We've been talking about sending scouts out for a while now, why is it now not a good idea?" Jacob huffed.

I didn't need _this_. Jacob's blunt words were rubbing Paul the wrong way. His only relief had been spending time with Gabby, now it looked like he'd have to go without that for a while and I wasn't sure he could cope.

"If we need all the individuals we can get then how can we spare you?" Paul snapped, his eyes hard and focussed on the floor.

"It's about balance, Paul." Gabby was starting to get angry but I could still see the hurt she was feeling for seeing Paul so angry.

"Screw balance. Send the others, we need you here. We need your strength; your knowledge." Paul snarled.

"You have all that. You'll have Embry and Josh."

"They're not you." Paul heaved himself out of his chair and stormed from the room.

The comment and reaction wasn't lost on Jacob, "What's going on between you two?"

"He's angry at me." Gabby sighed.

"I got that!" Jacob rolled his eyes and then his face became hard, "You're not... I'll kill him."

"No you won't Jacob." I growled, "Paul and Rachel were over a long time ago. She's moved on, he's moved on. If you can't accept that then maybe you should head back to the Cullens."

"Whatever." Jacob sighed, his cheery disposition replaced with glum annoyance.

I turned to Gabby, "One week. If his not within a one week round trip than we're safe, for the moment."

"You're not my Alpha." She growled.

"No. But I am Paul's and I can send him with you."

She gritted her teeth as she glared at me, "Fine."

_**Gabby's POV**_

I looked out over the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

The slate grey ocean was choppy and ominous. The thick dark clouds we blocking out the entire sun and it may as well have been midnight for all the light we had to see by. A bitter wind was howling over the aggressive water and sending a fine spray of droplets up to greet us on the beach.

'It was a bigger swim between Oz and PNG.' Randall was trying to sound optimistic but we both knew that we'd crossed those waters in dramatically better weather.

'We don't really have a choice.' I hated the thought of going into water that looked so dangerous. It reminded me of the flood waters that had flowed powerfully through my old territory when I was just five years old. Dad had warned me, numerous times, that we weren't allowed near the flood waters because of debris, dead animals, _live_ animals and effluent. All I could think of was the flood waters as we made our from the forest edge, across the short stretch of rocks, and into the icy Strait.

I was glad that I had fur but still felt that I could use a little more. What fur I had helped me for a few minutes but the further out we got the more the water churned, and the churning water ruffled and separated our coats, allowing freezing water to come in direct contact with our skin. The instant the water touched my skin I felt the stabbing sting and radiant chill penetrate my defences. The air in my lungs froze and breathing hurt just as much as not breathing.

We were separated before we reached the halfway point and by two thirds of the way across I couldn't see Randall anymore. I stopped listening to him, the best I could, because he was oblivious to everything except the frigid liquid encasing him.

I couldn't breathe and my limbs were rapidly losing all feeling and strength. Swimming became laborious and I could feel myself sinking into the abyss of the water's depth. Spurred on by nothing more than fear and my own stubbornness, I reached a point where I could just see the shore line.

My heart thumped feebly with my superficial joy. I knew that even when I got out of the water I would still be freezing, so I couldn't get too excited.

The sand beneath my feet was a welcomed relief and I heaved myself out of the stormy waters and up the yellow beach. I instinctively shook my body, my legs so frozen and saw they flicked out to the side as I shook. Most of my body was numb but I feared the return of feeling and wondered how many toes I would lose from frostbite.

I felt strangely hollow, as I collapsed just inside the tree line, and at the same time I was heavy and dense. After a few minutes of lying stone still I pushed off the ground and tried to shake my fur drier. Mid shake I lost all my energy and fell sideways.

If I was cold then I couldn't imagine how Randall was feeling. Panic filled me, 'Randall?'

'I'm fine.' He wheezed, 'I think I am anyway.'

'It's so cold...' I groaned as my skin stung its way back into feeling. I had to think of something that would get my mind off the growing tenderness.

It took no effort at all to think of Paul. But it didn't help much, seeing how sad Paul had been the last time I'd seen him just made my hollow chest feel even emptier. I couldn't wait to get back to him though. We'd look for Stendahl, we'd find him and then we'd report back. And, as I'd promised Sam, I'd be back in one week.

In one week I could touch him. Hold him. Kiss him. He'd smile when he saw me, I knew he would. I wouldn't bother with anyone else; I'd find Paul before doing anything else. Find him and then spend some alone time with him. It had only been six hours and already all I wanted to do was run back to La Push and find him.

It's going to be a long week.


	48. Love and Hate

_**Paul's POV**_

The bed wasn't comfortable without her.

It was the third morning since she'd left and it got worse every day. I dreamt of her at night, of her gorgeous body. Even her scars, which I adored and despised, were things of beauty when she was so far from me.

Sam has given me extra patrols to keep myself busy but it doesn't work that well.

It's like I have a quota of Gabby that needs to be filled every day, and the less time I have fulfil that quota the more Gabby my brain crammed into that time. It reached a point where it hurt to have any time alone because I wanted so badly to see her. To smell her. To touch her.

I just needed her. Desperately.

"Paul?"

"Coming!" I yelled as I rolled out of bed.

My eyes were still bleary with the remnants of sleep and my head was clouded with the memory of Gabby's smile. I stumbled down the hall towards the front door, it was early morning and there was no light anywhere to brighten the hall because I couldn't be bothered to turn on the light.

I pulled the door open to find a cheerful face staring back at me. Too white teeth glinted in the first rays of sun that peeped over the horizon and the ropy mass of blonde dreadlocks moved only slightly in the moderate wind. Small beads of water coalesced on the waxy cords and dripped onto the square shoulders of the young boy. It was hard to think that he wasn't yet thirteen years old, even for a shifter.

"What do you want, Josh?"

"I- it's kind of... Mitchell and Xavion won't be back until tomorrow. And... I don't think Embry likes me that much." I knew what he was dancing around and I felt bad for him.

He missed his pack as much as I missed his Alpha.

"Come in. Make yourself at home, I've just got to go put some clothes on." I gestured the boy through to the lounge and flicked the light on.

I disappeared back down the hall to put some more appropriate clothes on. I didn't feel right hanging around with a teenage boy in a baggy pair of boxers, so I swapped the boxers for some cut off jeans and headed back down the hall. Still without turning on the hall light.

"Do you want something to eat?" I asked from the doorway as Josh flicked through the TV stations.

"Umm..." he turned to look at me, "a banana would be nice."

I breathed in slightly, "I don't have any bananas."

"Oh, okay, do you have any fruit?"

"I think I have some grapes."

"That'd be great."

I turned to the kitchen and opened the fridge. I had a small bunch of grapes and some milk in the fridge. I really needed to go shopping.

"Can I get a drink of water too?"

I jumped at Josh's sudden appearance at my side. The one things the Aussies had going for them was that they were quieter than any of my brothers had ever been.

"The cups are up there." I threw my hand towards the corner ceiling cupboard.

Josh was the slightest of his brothers and in human form he looked just as gangly and disproportionate. His dreadlocked hair was the same colour as his dingo coat and I still wasn't sure whether he would be considered redhead or blonde. It reminded me of a statement that one of his brothers had made once.

"What did Mitchell mean when he said you went from bluey to blondie?"

Josh laughed as I handed him the grapes, "Bluey is old Oz slang for a redhead. When I was born I had really orange hair, thankfully it got lighter."

"Bluey?"

"We like irony, I guess."

I found it easy to see Gabby calling a redhead Bluey, especially since it isn't very logical. The thought of Gabby had me lost to reality.

She was sitting near First Beach just inside the forest, where it came up to meet the sand; it was how every dream of her started. She was mostly cloaked in shadow but a shaft of light caught her shoulder and set her brown hair glinting with golden shades. Her knees were tucked into her chest but not in a self-conscious or nervous way.

She was content and happy.

Her eyes were cast down the beach, to the three young pale-faces being taught how to play real football – I would never call it that in front of Gabby though. The skin around her amber eyes was flawless and smooth, nothing showed of the past horrors she had suffered. The skin of her cheeks and forearms was spotted with a fine sprinkling of freckles.

I was able to sit down behind her and wrap my arms around her elegant body. She fit so perfectly into my grip and her head was able to nestle perfectly under my chin.

We were content and happy.

"Paul?" Josh's voice shattered my beautiful reverie and I was plummeted back into my dreary living room.

"Sorry, I was... somewhere else. What did you say?"

"I asked- actually, that doesn't matter. Do you love Gabby?" Josh turned in his seat to face away from the TV and towards me.

I was a little flustered by his question, although I wasn't sure why because it was no secret to myself or my Pack, "Yes. Of course, I love her."

"Have you imprinted on her?"

This one _really_ threw me. Gabby had always said that she'd never heard of imprinting. I was surprised that Josh was asking about it and I wondered if one of the others had mentioned it to him. Maybe Embry, he'd been spending a lot of time with the Aussies and it wasn't like it was a must-avoid-topic.

"How do you know about Imprinting?" I choked.

"Stephen told us about it. After Stendahl attacked our town he was the oldest person left. He wasn't a shifter but like most of the non-shifters that stuck around he still learnt all about it." Josh said simply and then waited for me to answer.

After a few minutes he seemed to be under the impression that I'd forgotten his question, so he asked again, "Have you imprinted on her?"

"I- I heard you." I stuttered, trying to think of the best way to put it, "I already imprinted, before I met Gabby. But it didn't work."

"Well, if it isn't Imprinting than Gabby is really, _really_ in love with you. She's about to cross over the British Columbian-Yukon border and she's barely stopped thinking about you since she left." Josh smiled broadly at me and I realised that his smile looked a little too big for his face. He popped the last grape into his wide mouth and turned back to the TV.

I was glad that she thought about me so much because otherwise my own reaction to the situation would seem over the top.

_**Gabby's POV**_

It had been three days and we had travelled about 1,200 miles. We'd passed clean through British Columbia and cut across a small part of the Yukon. Now we were skirting along the edge of the Nahanni National Park Reserve.

I only knew all this because Randall was a geography buff and had a map of most Western countries burned into his memory. That and there was a sign reading 'Nahanni National Park Reserve of Canada' which we'd passed a few miles back.

We'd caught the track of a couple of vampires a few hours ago and were now following it into the heart of the Reserve. The dense forest of aspen and spruce trees caught my coat and pulled at my skin. It didn't faze Randall as much because his coat was shorter and sleeker than mine. I knew we had to move carefully, because my coat catching on the trees would make it all too easy for someone to follow us.

The thick forest also drew attention to us, so we had to be extra cautious which trees we walked under. Spooking a large family of birds was not preferable. Neither was running into an angry grizzly bear. Not that either one of us couldn't take on a Grizzly, it just wasn't particularly inconspicuous, starting fights with large predators.

Randall was moving through the forest a few feet to my left but it was so thick that occasionally I lost sight of him. I didn't like losing sight of him because it only took a second to get in over your head and barely a second more could kill you.

The rich floral-musk entwined with the vampire stench that was blowing towards us. We were getting close to a camp that consisted of shifters and vampires. I felt Randall's anxieties prickle as my full hackles rose along my back.

We slowed our movements, inching closer to the smells and taking our sweet time. If we rushed this too much we were likely to catch someone's attention and that could get us killed.

I ducked my head under a particularly low slung branch of an aspen, a needle of the neighbouring spruce tree scraped along my muzzle and then flicked up into my eye. My eye lid twitched as my eye prickled, if this had have been a less serious situation I would have called a time out to let my eye heal a little before continuing.

As I came out the other side I found a thinning of trees before they gave way to a large clearing.

The clearing was full of what looked like campers, but both Randall and I knew that wasn't the case. Some of the campers were pale, almost to the point of looking sickly, and sported sharp ruby eyes. A couple were muscular and seemed to repel the leeches.

One of the muscular men sat proudly on an old wooden crate. He had a rectangular face and weather beaten skin that was clothed in coarse salt and pepper stubble that drew attention to his pointed chin. His high, wide cheek bones protruded to give him a bitter appearance. Wiry black hair framed his angry face, while his thick eyebrows darkened his beady eyes. I stared at his nose for a moment and felt bile rise in my throat.

I had his nose.

'You're not him, Gabby.' Randall growled and finished his count, 'Thirteen. Not as many as I expected.'

'No. Nowhere near as many as-'

My thought halted and my breath caught. Every head in the clearing turned towards us, their cold eyes scanning the forest before falling on one or both of us. Lips pulled back to flash angry teeth and bodies coiled ready for the attack.

The wind had changed and betrayed us.


	49. Grounded

_**Gabby's POV**_

It no longer mattered if the branches caught on my coat.

We turned as quickly as our tight enclosure allowed and headed back the way we came.

"Focus on the blonde one!" I heard Stendahl's deep voice bellow, "Don't lose sight of her!"

We had been prepared for this and Randall knew that it was his time to step up. Since Stendahl could read my thoughts I couldn't make any decisions without him knowing. He wasn't in wolf form yet but I dared not start a thought should he phase midway through and figure out what he'd missed.

Xavion and Mitchell were screaming in our heads, shrieking for us to get back to La Push by sun down. Not that that was likely. I heard the echo of a howl; it was Mitchell listening to Xavion. I had to push them out to concentrate on not being swamped by leeches.

Keeping within each other's sights was now a guaranteed life-or-death issue. We had to keep close to one another to make sure neither of us was ganged up on more than the other. We quite literally had to have each other's back.

The thick trees made it hard to move swiftly, but at least everyone was on the same page. If we had to battle the tree limbs than so did they. Level ground.

For the most part.

Some of the vampires took to the aspen trees, which were more open in their canopy. There was one in the tree just in front of me, he was moving so that she was always in front of me and she seemed to be talking to the ones that were following us.

I threw myself sideways into the tree she was occupying, it shivered and she slipped, giving us time to pull away a little more.

'Sweetheart!' It wasn't bad enough that his goons were hunting us but now he was in my head, crowing like a proud father, 'I must say this surprises me that you would be so impractical. _Tisk tisk tisk_. Shaking up with Quileutes. Pathetic.'

The sound of his voice made me sick and the sound of his condemnation only made it worse. He wasn't allowed to sound disapproving; he had no right to act even slightly fatherly.

'I do have the right. You are my flesh and blood. You're a Stendahl.'

A vampire darted between the trees above my head. I flinched at the thought that it might drop on either of us. I wasn't sure how long we'd been running but we'd just exited the National Park. A few strides more and the trees thinned.

I could see Randall, his ears flat back against his neck and tongue lolling out of his long muzzle.

He glanced at me, 'Ignore him. And run.'

We merged towards each other, hoping our proximity would somehow help us along. Both of us thankful for our shifter heritage as there was no other way we would be getting out of this. Although part of me figured that if I wasn't a shifter than none of this would be happening.

'GET THE MONGREL!' Stendahl roared and I flinched at the sound, but never faltered in my movements.

A vampire dropped down from the aspen above Randall, it landed on his shoulder and buried its hands in Randall's fur.

I pushed myself to get my nose in front of Randall and then launched myself to the side. As I passed over his back I sunk my teeth into the hard flesh of the vampire, dragging him off Randall. The parasite reached up to grip my whispers but before it could do anything else I clenched my jaw and shook my head. The vamps head severed from its body just as it pulled on my whiskers.

A few whiskers were torn from the skin and it burnt. Cold air prickled at my muzzle and made the now empty follicles scream in pain. Blood dripped down my lip and I could taste it as it ran along my jowl.

Randall was a few strides ahead of me and I really had to force myself to catch up to him. His eyes widened momentarily as I came into view, 'Did they bite you?'

'No.' I didn't have the time or the energy to tell him anymore than that, 'Peel away.'

Randall didn't fight me; I had the feeling that, like me, he was running low on energy and wasn't about to waste it on arguing. He pushed forward, edging further out of my reach.

'How poetic. Six years and eight months ago, that was you running away. But do you really think you can survive alone.' Stendahl scoffed as he followed, well behind the mass of bloodsuckers nipping at my heels.

I didn't bother to think a direct response, I didn't need to. He knew that I was willing to try, whether or not the odds were with me.

'Leave the mongrel. Get Blondie.'

There were hands groping for my tail. Fingers pinching at tufts of fur and yanking them out. I held back the cries more from practicality than desire. I was too concerned with breathing, in order to keep my muscles working, to worry about stupid noises like yelps and barks. I couldn't even growl to display my displeasure.

The land started to slope downward and I lavished in the extra speed it gave me.

My muscles relaxed to let gravity take over and breathing became a little easier, although I still felt like my lungs were too small. Trees sped past so fast they blurred and turned into a sheet of greens and browns. The earth beneath my feet flicked up as I ran and sprayed my underside with gritty mud and shredded leaves.

'Gabby?' Embry burst into my head and I instantly wished he hadn't, 'The Cullens are coming. They'll follow Randall's trail and meet you as soon as possible.'

I had never been happy to hear that I was going to encounter vampires. That didn't change now. But I would happily tolerate them if it meant surviving.

'Randall, reverse the trail. The Cullens will meet Randall in British Columbia.' I felt it was the least I could do to make sure that both sides knew what was happening.

'No, Gabby. Get back on the trail.' Embry growled.

I didn't respond, didn't even really consider what he was telling me to do. This was the only way I could think of to keep everyone safe, Randall especially.

'Yes, Gabby, go back to the trail.' Stendahl advocated in a smooth almost sweet tone.

It made me want to vomit but I just pushed on harder. Embry growling in my head, Randall supporting me and Xavion, Mitchell and Josh were pleading with me just to get back to them, in as close to one piece as possible.

Stendahl didn't think it specifically but I knew what to look for and it told me that he'd lost my trail. All he could do was follow the stench of the vampires and hope that they didn't lose me as well. His sons, the other shifters, had lost me too and they were so annoyed at it that they were starting to bicker amongst themselves; which was annoying Stendahl.

I'd liked knowing that but focused back on my immediate environment.

The slope was flattening and the trees were getting thicker again. I was losing fur from my neck and sides, where it had previously tangled in leaves and was now catching on firmer branches. My lungs burnt with the need for more oxygen, I'd been running for at least an hour now. My muscles were numb from overuse but I knew that I couldn't stop.

The trees bunched up around me, the tips of their branches clawing at my sides. I heard the creak of the trees as the vampires took to the canopy in order to avoid the density below. They hooted and hollered as they pursued me, revelling in the chase. I wanted to rip all their throats out and watch them bleed – not that vampires actually bleed – I just wanted to see them suffer.

One dropped down from the trees, I assume he was aiming for my shoulders but he landed on my hips. I bucked around in a circle, while still maintaining a forward momentum, caught the vampire by the arm and flung him off. He hit a nearby tree with such force that it warped around him for a split second before crashing down and taking two more trees with it. At least one other vampire was caught in that mess; I heard them squawk as the trees fell.

Stendahl cursed in a foreign tongue.

Two vampires dropped down in front of me, their arms outstretched to stop me. I turned sideways and slammed into them, rolling over the top of them. They wrapped their arms around me; one around my waist and one around my neck.

The vamp with a grip on my neck didn't get a chance to do any damage; as I rolled onto my stomach the vampire slid under me. I tucked my chin against my neck and clamped down on the vamps shoulders.

One more roll and I made it back to my feet as I slammed his side into the ground and clenched the strong muscles in my jaw. The vamps shoulders cracked and crumbled and his head rolled away from the body.

I kept running as the terrain sloped up again, despite the vamp clinging above my hips; trying to keep enough distance between me and them. Unfortunately, I could still feel fur being pinched and pulled from the tip of my tail, no matter how hard I pushed myself to break away. The vamp around my waist was ice cold and his grip got a little tighter with every stride I took.

The trees disappeared.

The ground was gone.

The leech gripped even tighter as we started to fall.

_**Author's Note:**_

_**Kronjon is apparently a Swedish curse-word for 'idiot' according to a google search. I don't know if it's true but hopefully it is.**_


	50. It's The Landing That Hurts

_**Paul's POV**_

"Well, we use a similar shaped ball." Josh laughed as he lounged across the armchair.

"What a coincidence." I pretended to be shocked at how 'similar' American and Australian Football are.

Josh laughed, "I'm surprised Gabby hasn't taught you how to play. Randall says she used to rough up a lot of the neighbourhood boys when she played."

I smiled at the thought that Gabby had always been tough, "Did you know Gabby well before your town was attacked?"

"As well as a six year old can know a teenager. She was my brother's best friend; they used to do perimeter runs together all the time. She also let me call her Gob when I wasn't supposed to."

"What does that mean, 'when you weren't supposed to'?" I watched Josh carefully as I waited for an answer.

"Gob was her Pack name. Generally speaking only members of the Pack called her that. Most of the town knew her as..." Josh turned to look out the window, his brow wrinkled with uncertainty.

My stomach churned, for some unknown reason, but I pushed it aside, "Josh?"

He didn't say anything.

The emotion washed over him so quickly it was almost like he had been showing it the whole time. His head went up, his eyes widened and his knuckles went white as he gripped the chair with so much force that I could hear the wood creaking.

"Josh?" I growled, louder than I said it before.

A howl sounded to the north of the town.

Without warning Josh jumped from the armchair and wheeled around to dash out of the room. He moved in so much of a hurry that he slipped on the carpet before he'd even gone anywhere. Still, he was out of the front door before I'd even reached the hall.

I followed him outside and around the house. He was headed straight for the forest and I got the nauseating feeling that this had something to do with Gabby. My head spun with the barrage of scenarios surrounding Gabby's current trip, scenarios that had come about with the most negative thoughts.

Just inside the trees Josh phased. Every one of the Aussies was able to phase with such speed and precision that under any other circumstances I would have been amazed.

I phased and was sicken by what I heard.

_Vampires_.

It was the basis of every thought that bounced around my pack.

'How many?' Jared choked as he galloped through the forest to the east of me.

'Embry says there's at least a dozen.' Sam's thought was stern and steady but we all still knew that he was stressing, 'The Cullens are going to meet up with them.'

I was too shocked to do anything. I stood there staring at nothing, just listening to the thoughts bounding around the forest and my head.

I wanted to vomit.

'Paul.' Sam sounded surprised, 'Phase back.'

'No.'

'We're going to channel Embry. You might not want to hear this.' Jared warned and his thought was strangely forceful.

Channelling was something that the two packs had figured out how to do a few years back. If Jacob and Sam cooperated well enough than the thoughts of a member from one pack could reach all the members of the other pack. Seeing how Embry had a natural connection with Gabby we'd be getting an almost immediate relay of what was happening.

I shook my head and found Jared staring right back at me, 'I want to know.'

I started running towards where Sam's thoughts were coming from, only just realising that I'd lost Josh. Not that that really mattered, Josh would be able to handle himself and was likely going the same way as us.

Sam and Jacob were lying next to each other, facing north at the northern most point of our territory. Their eyes glued shut as they concentrated. Jared and I slowed to stop behind Sam. I could hear the thoughts buzzing around the pack but I couldn't comprehend what they were saying.

All I wanted was to hear Embry.

Scratch that. All I wanted was for Gabby to be here with me.

But since I couldn't do that I had to settle with listening to Embry. If Sam could ever get through to Jacob that was.

'Not helping, Paul.' Jared growled.

'No, Gabby. Get back on the trail.' Embry growled and my stomach dropped.

I wasn't sure what trail she wasn't on but that didn't sound good.

'Gabby. Gabby, please. Go back to Randall. Meet up with the Cullens. Please.' Embry beseeched.

I had to lie down and I heard Jared's concern.

I had begged her to stay. Told her it was too dangerous. I had spent the last three days pretending that this wasn't really a possibility. I kept telling myself that Stendahl wasn't actually coming and Gabby and I could just be happy together.

'Gabby. They're getting too close. Gabby! Find Randall, stick together.' Embry was borderline losing it.

She'd promised me that she wouldn't separate from Randall. Sworn that she wouldn't allow herself to be alone. And now someone, I was assuming vampires, were getting too close to her. I wondered how close too close was but I didn't need to worry for long.

'Get it off you! Gabby!' there was a spike in Embry's stress before a trickle of relief came through.

I didn't realise that I'd been holding my breath until my own relief hit. My heart was racing, but it seemed pointless. No matter how hard it pumped, I felt like nothing was happening. My legs were numb, my head was aching and everything felt so cold. I couldn't move, couldn't think; I was barely breathing.

All I could do was listen.

And pray that the vampires got bored before she reached the limits of her body.

I shouldn't have let her go. I should have put my foot down and demanded that she stayed. I should have been a man and risked annoying her to keep her safe. The thought of telling Randall 'if he loved her he should have ignored her' made me feel sick; I was a hypocrite.

'Gabby! Grab the feet. The feet!' Embry was screaming at her but from the emotions he was emitting she wasn't listening.

I hated not knowing what was going on. Hated only getting half of the equation. I so desperately needed to see Gabby, to hear her smile-inducing accent and know that she was still alive. To know that she was definitely alright and that she had a plan.

Did she have a plan?

'GABBY!' Embry screamed.

'NO!' Sam barked.

The channel broke with a deafening whoosh, as if a jet engine had just roared to life in front of us.

Three low morose howls gathered in the afternoon and seemed to physically darken it.

I saw the image as Sam had seen it, as he'd gotten it from Jacob, who had witnessed it as Embry's mind relayed it. Just before the channel had crumbled.

Gabby with a dark skinned vampire clinging to her waist. Her fur was sleek with the apparent wind of her speed and the trees that whipped past only confirmed that her speed was great. Without warning the trees stopped coming.

_**Embry's POV**_

I searched for her thoughts. Anything would have sufficed.

She'd been falling. It was the first time I had ever seen – or sensed is probably a better word – the first time I'd ever sensed fear that intense from her. It had been paralysing. Whole body paralysing and the closer she got to... the closer she got the less she could do.

Then it hit me.

Like a wave, no a tsunami. Actually, not even that... it was like lightning. There was an intense flash of pain, mind numbing, body crumpling pain. So strong I thought I'd never feel anything again. It was kind of the opposite of the first time Gabby and I had connected only this was far scarier.

The nothingness that followed only made the pain more unbearable.

Now I couldn't find her.

More pain.

Anger.

Contempt.

Fear.

Shit, even something stupid. Like shame, disappointment or surprise.

Or, if it were to be offered, elation, pride, empathy or boredom.

I'd take masochistic pleasure.

'Embry.' Jacob sighed and I could feel the despair flowing from him.

'No.' I snapped and kept searching.

She had to be out there somewhere. Her thoughts couldn't just disappear and a fall that short would never be enough to... do _that _to an adult shifter. No, she was out there. I just had to keep looking.

I was distracted by the snarls of a dog fight and turned instinctively to the side.

Paul and Jared were in a particularly nasty fight. They couldn't have been fighting for long but already there was blood soaking their coats. If this were a hierarchal dispute than Jared would be about to lose his Beta status.

'Embry.' Quil choked, 'I'm so very-'

'Shut it, Quil. She's out there. I just don't know where...' I was again sidetracked.

Three dishevelled shifters stumbled into sight. They couldn't even hold their heads up. The sight of them caused my chest to tighten and I struggled to control my breathing.

The sound of Paul whining and struggling to breath, against his own soul shattering disbelief, was so far beyond the realms of agonizing that I couldn't keep searching for her. Paul, muscular macho man Paul, slumped to the ground, his body racked with every painful breath he tried to take. Blood trickled down his face from a cut Jared had inflicted above his eye as scraped his massive paws along the damp ground.

With a strangled yelp he phased.

Paul let out a loud gasp as he curled in on himself, still fighting for every breath. One hand pressed firmly into his stomach while the other slammed against the earth. He rocked on the spot. His body trembling in his anguish as tears started to fall.

When he vomited I knew there was no hope.


	51. Headache

_**Author's Note:**_

_**I would like to say a massive thank-you to all those who have reviewed (particularly momoXvolturi, j1u29 and Fanatic22) this story. It's taken a lot longer to get here than I ever thought it would. 100,000 words in two weeks is definitely a personal best. It's because of your reviews that I've had the inspiration to continue this far and I really do hope that you are enjoying this.**_

_**PS. I promise that we are more than half way through**_

* * *

_**Gabby's POV**_

I could barely breathe.

My body was stiff and everything ached. Every movement hurt and, although my vision was fine, I couldn't see straight. I couldn't decipher up from down and left from right. I knew I had broken bones, lots of them. I wasn't sure which ones though.

I could smell the sickly sweet scent of a sucker filtered through the air, with a hint of something bitter.

Fear gripped me but it did nothing. I ached too much to do anything.

My head was splitting. In the fall I must have hit it, hard. It was more than a concussion, maybe it was a break. Could I do that? Break my skull open and still be conscious? The pain was so sharp that I couldn't hear anything but the whoosh-thump of blood pumping past my ear. I closed my eyes as tight as I could, hoping that it would ease the pain. It didn't but once they were closed I couldn't bring myself to open them again.

I was alone in my head. And, even with the all consuming pain that throbbed at the back of my skull, I liked it.

To be in wolf form and hear nothing but my own thoughts... it felt like a life time since I'd had this sort of peace.

So I lay, in peace, and waited, in peace.

It felt so good.

As time passed I started to think about where I was and how I'd gotten here.

My family had been attacked by... Stendahl was my biological father. I'd run away from home because I was turned away by... family had come to find me, to warn me that... Stendahl was chasing me and using his army of...

_Vampires_.

The word was like a drug to me. A drug that had my adrenaline flowing.

I ignored the pain and jumped to my feet, scrambling across the hard ground to get away from the smell. My head pulsed and I had to stop moving. I buckled over so my chest and chin grazed the cold rock.

Looking back at where I'd just come from only confused me.

There was a pile of smouldering corpses. I counted about a dozen heads and figured that was the only way to count them. There were limbs and body parts scattered around the pile, every body was disarticulated and stacked precisely so that no limb was next to another from the same body.

I could remember killing the first one, the one that had gripped my waist.

As we'd fallen he had let go. I grabbed his forearm and pulled him under me. In the final moments before hitting the rocky bottom of the cliff I had gotten my mouth around his head and pressed my feet against his body. I could still remember the feeling of his body crushing under my paws and his head popping off of his thin shoulders. It was at that point that I felt something hard catch the base of my skull and then... nothing.

The others were all a mystery.

The fire was particularly concerning.

All I could smell was the burning flesh of vampires that I had no recollection of killing, or seeing killed. I walked cautiously around the edge of the charred heap of remains. Not a single body brought back any more than was already clear in my mind.

I heard the low tones of a howl that was too far off to locate. But I knew what the howl was for, I knew that shaky pitch. Someone was in mourning.

Randall.

The cliff top was free of vampires. The only threat I smelt was that of the burning Blood Farmers. For all intents and purposes, as far as I could tell, it was safe.

I was at the centre of what I could only describe as a thin valley. To the east was water and to the west the valley base rose up while the cliff tops sloped down. I took off to leave the valley.

The further I got from the funeral pyre the less the stench attacked my nostrils. And the greater the presence of another scent became. A combination of scents, from a pack of shifters. It explained the pile of bodies but made me wonder why they would leave me alive.

I pushed aside the questions and ran, not as fast as I had run from the vampires but I still ran. My head throbbed with my gait and I did the best I could to ignore that too. But eventually the throbbing became too much and I had to stop to rest.

_Jared's POV_

It was just about certain now. Unfortunately, now was too late.

Paul had imprinted. Correction, he had reimprinted.

Paul was sitting in Emily's kitchen, poking at the scrambled eggs she'd prepared for him. He was staring in the direction of the plate but everyone knew he wasn't seeing it.

There was nothing we could do for him. Nothing we could say, and it was slowly killing everyone. All Sam wanted was to appease the pain that Paul was feeling, he wanted Paul to start functioning again. Doing anything was better than this. Tears were better.

Anger.

We all wanted to see Paul angry, simply because this zombie Paul was more than any of us could bear. We'd wondered what would happen if a shifter lost their imprint, but we'd never really wanted to know.

I had thought that Paul's acceptance of Rachel's desire to move on was a sign that imprint bonds could be broken without too much harm. I had thought that what he had with Gabby was just incredibly intense love. Now that she was gone we were all able to accept it was something so much more than love.

"Please, Paul. Eat something." Emily pleaded, her eyes brimming with tears.

The front door slammed and the only one not to jump at it was Paul. He had barely moved all day. It was hours before he had it in him to get off the ground and we'd been able to coax him back to Sam's without too much hassle. Paul was exhausted. Simply exhausted.

Jacob came into the kitchen, he looked strong but not his usual self.

"Edward called. They've found Randall. And they're on their way back." he murmured, looking at Paul's untouched plate of food with a frown.

Emily's lower lip trembled and she sprinted from the room. Sam looked torn between Paul and Emily, but his imprint one out and he darted after her.

Paul didn't even blink.

"Where's Embry?" I asked as Kim sobbed into my chest.

Jacob looked up at Paul's sullen face, "He's still trying."

Embry had given up for a few minutes, but he went back to trying to get through to Gabby. Jacob said earlier it had nothing to do with hope, he said Embry was sure that Gabby wasn't coming back; he just didn't know how to grieve for her so he would keep calling her until he did.

Paul had flinched, ever so slightly, at that.

I knew he wanted to be the one looking for her. He hadn't wanted her to go in the first place and now he was blaming himself for what had happened. He was so guilt stricken that he couldn't even look at Josh, after the Aussies had rejoined us. The only thing that evoked any emotion from him was the sight of the Aussies.

Mild irritation.

So faint it wasn't really an emotion but I was willing to claim it just to believe that Paul was still in there somewhere.

The Aussies, who admittedly have had far more experience with death than the rest of us combined, were taking this rather well. They weren't running around like the hyperactive teenagers they normally were but after about an hour of glum whimpering they just got up and walked away. They reappeared as we got back to Sam's and they were lounging on the porch with a drink each and plates full of food.

Paul had shivered at the sight of them and refused to look again as he passed. That was when Emily served him a plate and we all sat around waiting for him to eat.

The fork clattered on the plate as Paul dropped it in the eggs. The sound shook him out of his trance momentarily and he pushed the plate away. He looked around the room at each of us and then hauled himself out of his chair. He bumped into just about every piece of furniture that he passed as he made his way into the hall.

I heard a door slam shut and then the dull sounds of someone throwing themself onto a padded floor. He bounced carelessly off the wall and landed heavily on the same padding he'd sat down on. I didn't know if that was such a good idea but the possibility that it would help him begin to grieve was too much to not let it go.

Maybe Gabby's bed would help him with his grief.


	52. Disoriented

_**Gabby's POV**_

I had never been so disoriented.

The only direction that I knew was west because that was the direction the sun was headed in. So I went west, knowing I'd have to cross Randall's path eventually. It wasn't an easy feat, to keep moving west.

No matter how far I ran, or how slow I walked, my head kept throbbing. For the most part I tried to ignore the pain and focus on the quiet, but every now and then there was be a hot pulse so strong that I actually stumbled. Once I fell, caught off guard by a pain that felt like I'd just been shot.

It had been a little while since a pulse like that and I was afraid that one was due any minute. If that was the case I had to haul arse and get onto that track as soon as I could.

I had tried to howl a few times but I couldn't. Just like I couldn't hear anyone in my head, I couldn't howl. The sound caught in my throat and pressed against whatever it was that was causing me so much pain.

All howls managed to do was make me feel like I had been smacked in the back of the head with a cricket bat.

'-bby. Please, Gabby. Talk to me. Tell me where you are. We need you. Gabby? Gabby?' the sound scared me half to death and I tripped on my own feet in an attempt to stop.

'Embry? Embry!' I was glad to hear his voice, more than I thought I would be seeing how it meant that I was no longer alone in my own head.

'Please, Gabby... please, talk to me.' Embry sounded fraught with worry.

'Embry.' I sighed, 'I'm fine Embry. I'll be back as soon as I can.'

'Paul is devastated. He just wants you back. I beg of you, Gabby; talk to me. Anything, anything at all. Call me annoying, call me stupid... just talk to me. I know you're out there, you've got to tell me where.' Something about his tone told me that he hadn't heard and his words just confirmed it.

'Embry! You're annoying! You're more than stupid, you're like a blonde bogan. Just listen to me.'

'Gabby? Are you hurt? You've got to talk to me. The Cullens are in British Columbia, they'll come get you. They'll save you, but I need you to talk to me. Please, Gabby.'

Clearly I could hear him but he couldn't hear me. This was just going to be annoying.

It was bad enough when they were in there without meaning to be, but when I couldn't get him to stop talking about me 'not being there' it was something so much more annoying.

Then I smelt him. Randall.

Finally.

_**Sam's POV**_

Emily and Kim were huddled together on Emily's bed, whispering and crying.

Just when I thought that they couldn't cry anymore they found some way to stir up more tears. I don't know what it was but the longer they went without crying the worst the next lot of tears were.

Between Emily's sobbing and Paul's... nothing, I didn't know what to do.

I was standing by my bedroom door, watching the love of my life grieve for a shifter that had, in the beginning, threatened to kill her. I thought of the 'woof' Gabby had barked after I'd compared her to a wild dog and it made me smile.

"She's not dead!"

My heart squeezed a little too tight at the sound of someone yelling behind me. Turning around I saw Paul standing there, his face contorted in a mixture of pain and hope.

"Paul..."

"No, she's not dead. I talk to her once about breaking the connection. She said that after her family died it had felt like a physical injury. Like someone put a vice around her skull and tightened it." Paul's eyes glittered in his hope and it killed me to think that it wouldn't last.

"Paul." Jared sighed, "Embry did feel..."

"No! Embry felt pain, sure. But it wasn't his pain. It was Gabby's. She's hurt but she's out there." That thought put an even more confusing mixture of emotions on his face as his own pain, at the thought of Gabby hurting, joined the mix.

I hated to do this, I wanted to believe Paul but after how he'd been acting I just couldn't stand by and do nothing, "She's gone, Paul."

"No, she's not, Sam." he was so determined.

Jacob sighed heavily, "She is, Paul. Embry can't find her. The Aussies can't find her. There is no other explanation."

"No." Paul shook his head, "No. No." He seemed to lose confidence with every repetition, "No. She's not. I know she's not. It's... no. Just no."

Josh burst into the hall through the back door, his cheeks flushed red from running. His eyes widened as he looked at us and tried to read the current mood.

"I just needed some water. Do you mind?" he asked, looking me dead in the eye.

I went to shake my head but was interrupted by a very angry Paul.

"I mind! I mind that Gabby has just disappeared and you and your brothers couldn't care less."

Josh looked shocked, "We do care. But... Randy told us not to grieve, that there was work to do."

"Like lounging around stuffing your face?" Paul was red in the face as he yelled at the young boy, who looked like he was at least sixteen.

Josh was taken aback by Paul's sudden outburst, we all were a little, "And what help have you been? Curled in a ball on her bed? That's really healthy that is."

I didn't actually want to admit it but I agreed with the young boy. What Paul had been doing did seem to be a little useless, but wasn't all grief useless?

"What am I supposed to do? What do you think would be a _healthy_ way to handle this shit?"

"Get off your arse and do what you are meant to be doing. Do what Gabby wanted you to do. What this town needs you to do. Stendahl isn't going to stop because Gabby isn't here, he's still got a son that he wants to get his hands on." Josh turned to me, "I also wanted to say that Randall has called us away. He wants us to meet him on the other side of the Strait."

"Why?" it didn't really make any sense to me, having three young shifters cross the Strait just so they would have to cross back.

"I don't know. He just wants us to cross the Strait."

_**Gabby's POV**_

I was catching up. It was taking a while but I was getting there.

After about a hundred miles of just Randall he was swamped by vampires. To begin with I was afraid that they were Stendahl's vampires, but I thought of the pile of corpses in the valley and figured that would be unlikely. It was most likely the Cullens; at least I hoped it was.

So, for the first time in my life, I followed the scent of vampire without the thought of slaughtering them.

Embry was still jabbering in my head and as I went on Randall joined the fray. Soon after Randall turned up the others followed, the others being the Aussies. It was like listening to a search party, with the constant mention of my name and the begs for me to 'talk to them'. Actually, it was like an incredibly depressing party, and I couldn't get them to shut up.

I wanted to talk to them. If not to tell them that they should shut up then to scream at Randall. He had asked the boys to cross the Strait. After the shit that we'd gone through to cross it he wanted three young shifters to try it.

I was furious at him but for the life of me couldn't get my anger across.

At the mention of them crossing the Strait my head had split. The pain was so bad that I had phased instantaneously, crumpling to the ground to graze my knees and palms on the hard earth. My breathing was ragged and laborious, as I tried to will the burn away.

It faded and I reached up with a shaky hand to rub the back of my neck.

Something cold and sticky was running down my neck. My little finger ran across exposed flesh and it stung from the contact. I walked my fingertips up into my hair to get a better feel of the wound. The base of my skull burnt where my fingers and hair touched the tender tissue.

I'd been bitten.

And if the persistent pain was anything to go by then there was vampire venom. I was not impressed by that conclusion, but seeing how the rest of my body had healed I felt this was the most likely explanation.

I released my neck and wiped my now sticky hand on my hip, phasing as I started forward again. There was no way that the boys were going to cross the Strait, not on my watch. And I was no longer in the mood to be defied.


	53. Comfortable

_**Gabby's POV**_

The sun had well and truly set. The moon was high in the black sapphire sky and the stars flickered around it. The trees were dark and gloomy, and the wind chased me as I ran.

Every now and then my head would ache but I pushed it aside. Embry was still begging me to talk to him. Randall, Xavion, Mitchell and Josh were arguing amongst themselves as to where they should start to cross and I was still more than half an hour away from them.

'The water's clear. Just cross. We'll find you when we get there.' Randall was starting to become irate and it just made me all the more angry.

I didn't know why Randall wanted them to cross, that bit I couldn't get at over Embry's persistent begging. But I was becoming increasingly incensed by the fact that I couldn't stop them. I was trying to yell at them, trying so much that my head was aching like I was screaming in my own ears.

My stomach was splattered with forest floor debris that was thrown up by the rapid motion of my feet. I knew that I was catching up. I just had to get within barking distance; as I still couldn't bear to howl.

I wondered exactly what it would take to get my voice back in their heads.

* * *

The land sloped down towards the beach, where the waves were lapping at the sand and almost reached the weedy grass line. I paused briefly to take a deep breath before launching myself down the steep slope.

I tried screaming at Randall but it seemed that I was blocked out. I didn't like it.

He'd already convinced the boys to start crossing and it had been agonising to not be able to vocally display my anger as I wanted to. I quickly decided to reprimand Randall and would do so the second I got to him.

Which looked to be soon.

I could see him standing by the water, watching the boys as they approached the shore. His back was to me and it seemed he'd dropped his guard because he hadn't heard my approach as yet. For a split second I worried that I was actually a ghost and that was why I couldn't speak to them and he couldn't hear me.

That fear was abated when one of the vampires turned to me with a horrified look on their face. Half a second later all the vampires were looking and by the time Randall noticed and turned around it was too late.

I sprung from the edge of the grass down to Randall, who stood with the waves lapping his hind feet; aiming a well timed bite at his throat. We rolled into the water, me still snapping at his neck while he tried to push me off him.

I was fuming and Randall, being the cause of my anger, was going to wear it.

'Stupid! Why? You should have left them there. Fucking moron. No wonder you were never Alpha. Are you trying to kill them?' I couldn't control my thoughts as I maintained my attack.

My energy waned quickly, I'd been running flat out for more than half a day with the worst headache ever. The sting of the salt water over the fresh bite was strangely soothing and when combined with my declining energy, I backed off.

Randall looked at me for a long moment. His dark carmine eyes staring deep into mine as if he was reading my thoughts rather than listening to them.

'I'm sorry.' his thoughts were stunned, 'I wanted them over here so we could go back out looking for you. We- we thought...'

'Yeah, yeah. Dead. I gathered that from all the bitching and moaning.'

'How did you..? You really have no idea?' Randall was too numb to think straight. My sudden appearance had more than thrown him, I may as well have belted him in the head with a cricket bat – I wasn't sure why cricket analogies were on my mind.

'If I knew, you'd know.'

'GOB!' Xavion bounded out of the water, shaking out his wet black fur. He leapt from the water like a normal fox after a vole hidden by snow, his feet clearing the water at the apex of his leap although his shoulders barely protruded through the waves when he was standing.

When he reached me he reared up, his tiny paws sliding past my neck so that his chest pressed against my shoulder as he rubbed his slender muzzle against mine. Natural behaviours of our associated predator were hard to suppress in times of great emotion. He whined and chittered as his greeting went on.

Josh and Mitchell had always been more... mature. They sat beside Randall and cried out a set of short melodic howls. I could hear them in my head, as happy to see me as I was to see them.

Xavion rubbed his muzzle against mine, his soft fur mingling with my thick coarse coat and massaging my skin. I pushed my head back towards him and he barked playfully. His body shivered in his excitement and he couldn't calm himself down.

'So what are we going to do?' Mitchell was beaming and it surprised me that they'd have come to miss me in such a short time.

'We thought you were dead. It's a little more than you just spending a day with Paul.' Randall laughed but I could hear the hard undertone, he was offended that I thought they were over reacting.

I ignored his remark, knowing there was nothing that I could say to that, that wouldn't cause an argument, 'We need to get back to La Push.'

'Back to Paul.' Josh sung as he stood up.

I couldn't help but smile as I pushed the comment aside. It was something I could have seen Jillian saying and while the memory of her hurt somewhat, it was also a comforting feeling.

We strode towards the strait as one unit, a mix matched pack of dingoes, a fox and a wolf. I was sure it was a bizarre sight, from the outside looking in, but from the inside it was perfectly normal. It was home.

The vampires waded in after us; the sound of the water splashing against the numerous marble bodies was like waves hitting concrete flood walls. I could smell them, the sweet scent of flesh that should have decayed centuries ago but hadn't, and it made my skin crawl.

'They're just trying to help.' Randall growled, his voice soft but firm.

'They still stink.' I snapped back.

Soon enough the water was too deep to keep walking so the doggy paddle started. It was an inefficient stroke but the only one our canid bodies were capable of.

The water wasn't as cold, or violent, as the first time I had crossed. To my surprise it was warm, and serene. I could have enjoyed this swim if it weren't for the fact that somewhere out there was someone who wanted me dead and right now I was extremely vulnerable.

Xavion stayed close to my right hip, on some strokes his shoulder or elbow would hit me but I didn't mind. It was nice to have him so near to me, after feeling so alone for the last eighteen hours. I hadn't realised how much I missed them until I got back to them.

'When we get back you'll go straight to Paul, right?' Xavion didn't like the sound of me leaving him again, and I wanted to tell him that I'd stay with him all night but the one person who had always been sitting on the periphery of my thoughts was Paul. I didn't want to spend a minute longer than necessary without him.

'It's alright. I understand.' he bubbled in his usual happy Xavion voice, 'It's not like we're going to lose you again. I'll just wait. I'm happy to wait. Just not another six years and eight months. Has it really been that long? I can still remember everyone like I'd just seen them yesterday.

'But you're the shifter of the hour. I think we should have a barbie. You used to love barbies. Uncle E was the best at cooking meat. We should have a barbie.'

'Okay, Xav. We get it.' Josh thought with great exasperation.

'You know what? You're a party pooper, Josh. Every exciting moment you ruin with your boring personality.' Xavion growled.

'Boys... let's just cross this damn Strait. We can argue later?' Randall muttered as he choked on a mouthful of salty water.

'Breath through your nose, Randy.' Josh grumbled.

Xavion laughed as he splashed through the water beside me.

Last time it had taken over an hour to cross, I hoped that this time would be shorter. Once my feet hit dry ground it was up to the rest of them to keep up with me. I loved them but the second that we were all standing on the sandy shore I was heading south.

It felt like months since I'd seen him and every part of me yearned to see him. Wolf form or human, I needed him within my sight. I wanted to touch him, to kiss him and hold him. And I wanted him to _touch_ me.

I pushed _that_ thought aside to concentrate on finishing the swim. It also wasn't an appropriate audience for those sorts of thoughts. When it was just me and Paul, I'd let those thoughts have free rein.

Panic.

Without warning the emotion flooded me. I could see Randall, Josh and Mitchell ahead of me, and they turned back towards me in shock as the emotion hit. I looked back over my right shoulder just in time to see Xavion's nose disappear under the dark surface.


	54. Survivor

_**Gabby's POV**_

I phased, as strange as that may sound. Wolves could swim across water but the doggy paddle was not an efficient diving stroke.

I took a big breath the second I was human again and ducked under the water.

Wrapping my hand around Xavion's dainty black paw, I pulled myself closer to him; then used his body to help drag me further towards the icy grip around his back paws. The panic I had felt told me everything I needed to know.

Vampire.

They were starting to get on my nerves, more so than any vampires ever had before. If it was a flat out fight they wanted than fine, but these taunts and sneak attacks were downright annoying.

I wedged my elbow in the crook of Xavion's hip joint, feeling his muscles twitch uncomfortably as I did so. I gripped his knee tightly to hold me in place as I reached down to the vampires fingers. I'd break every single joint in its stringy digits, if I had a hold of him – no, this one was a her – if I had a hold of her for long enough, I'd dislocate every joint in her body.

She smiled up at me with her sharp white teeth and Xavion trembled as she tightened her grasp on his ankle.

Xavion tried to kick her away, but her hold on both his feet meant that she moved with each kick. His kicking dislodged my elbow and I slid back up his torso. I grabbed his fur to stop me floating all the way back to the surface and then used his thick fur to drag myself down his length again.

This time I didn't bother reaching for the vampire. I got my body under Xavion's, hooking my right knee under his ribs and angling my body towards the vampire.

I phased again.

Meaning this had to work or we'd both drown.

Phasing took a lot of energy and often required a deep breath directly afterwards. With my whole body under the water I couldn't take another breath and would need my next action to work in order to make it back to the surface before my lungs gave in.

My jaws clamped around the vamps arm, accidentally catching Xavion's toes in the process. It helped though, because Xavion's instinctively tried to retch his foot away and it pulled on the vamps hand, causing it to sever where my teeth bit into the flesh.

Contrary to popular belief, vampires do feel pain. The loss of a hand, unfortunately, wasn't a pain that they generally registered.

The vamp opened its mouth and bubbles of mirth escaped and gurgled past my head. It only worked to make me angrier and I kicked off of Xavion's trembling stomach.

I snapped my jaws at the vamps hand and it pulled Xavion back so my teeth pinched his skin. Without faltering I swung my head around and opened my jaws as wide as they would go. I felt the vamps forehead on my front teeth and clamped down, the skull creaked and then cracked. I pulled my jaws harder together.

The sound of shattered glass rang in my ears as the upper right side of the vampires skull splintered beneath my closing muzzle.

She let go of Xavion and grabbed at my thick ruff, bringing her mutilated head to my neck in such a way that I couldn't stop her. I kicked at her with all four feet but her grip was too much on my fur.

It hurt where the fur pulled on the skin but that was nothing compared to the burn where her teeth clenched onto my skin.

I kicked hard and faster. She had her disgusting teeth in my neck and was dragging me down deeper. Somehow my left paw caught on her left shoulder and I pushed her away. Her grip on my neck didn't weaken as I pushed her away and I felt the tear in my flesh as she bit a chunk out of me.

But she was drifting away now; down into the depths of the Strait. I kicked away, turning my body back to the surface and starting the pathetic doggy paddle back to sweet oxygen. My lungs burnt with longing to breathe, the closer I got to the surface.

'We've got Xavion.' Randall assured me as I remembered the reason I was under the water in the first place, 'Are you okay?'

I burst through the ocean's surface and drew in the biggest breath I've ever drawn. It was annoying that the first breath of air would hurt but it was also a great relief.

_**Jared's POV**_

Paul had walked the Aussies to the edge of our territory, at which point Embry took over and walked them the rest of the way. At least, that was the plan. Whether Paul had turned back then or not I didn't know, as I hadn't phased since telling Kim about Gabby.

Kim was clinging to my side again, while Emily moped around the kitchen getting something prepared for dinner. I knew that they liked Gabby but I was surprised by how they were reacting. Not that they were uncaring but Gabby generally didn't make a good impression on people and she hadn't spent a lot of time with either woman... so I was just a little baffled.

Sam slammed the back door as he entered and stomped down the hall. I cocked my head at him when he came into view and Emily turned to him with sad eyes.

"He joined in the patrol." Sam grumbled as he hugged Emily.

"Then why are you angry?" I asked, watching him bury his face in her glossy black hair.

"He's adamant that she is alright and he's pissed that everyone thinks he's deluding himself. I just don't want him postponing his grief." Sam moved his head to look at me, "It's only going to hurt him worse."

Suddenly the front door burst open and Jacob just about fell into the kitchen, "Where's Paul?"

"Patrolling, why?" Sam mumbled.

"I just got a call from Bella." I couldn't see the importance of this and was about to ask for some more information when Jacob continued, "She got a call from Edward. Gabby's alive."

To say that we were shocked was beyond an understatement. Kim started to cry again and Emily held onto Sam tighter to keep herself from falling. I wanted to punch Jacob for delaying the announcement with talk of which bloodsucker called who. Sam just smiled.

After a few moments Sam turned and bolted from the house, it was the middle of the night so he didn't have to wait for the cover of the trees. No one would see him phasing a few strides early. I could tell he phased early by the simple timing of his two-legged run becoming four-legged.

I smiled at Kim, who looked up at me with bright eyes and a small smile of her own as she muttered, "She's alive."

I pulled her into a tight hug and kissed her on the forehead, "I should go help Sam."

"Go. Go." she urged and I peeled myself away from her and followed Sam into the forest.

It was hard to really comprehend what the hell was happening, especially since we'd just been so convinced that Gabby was dead. I was happy to know that she was alright and ecstatic that Paul was right, but I was definitely confused as to how the connection could have broken between her and everyone else.

When I phased all I could hear was the excited roar of everyone else rejoicing in this new found knowledge. No one cared that she was still hours away, she may as well have been back in Australia, just knowing that she was alive was enough for everyone.

After a few minutes the roar lulled and only one voice could be heard. The one voice we'd all been so concerned about for the last God knows how many hours. He was happy, no he was blissfully euphoric but also aching to see her again. Paul.

'I fucking told you!'


	55. Homeward Bound

_**Gabby's POV**_

As I hauled my heavy water logged body from the Strait I could see everyone crowded around Xavion, who had at some point phased back to human. The bile rode in my stomach as I ran forward, snarling as I went.

Part of the 'everyone' were vampires. I knew they were the Cullens but I didn't care, I didn't want them anywhere near Xavion.

Most of the vampire clan stepped away from me but one stayed hovering over the slender form of Xavion. The snarl got louder, an attempt to get him to back off without the use of physical aggression.

Randall stepped in front of me, "He's a doctor, Gob. He's just checking that Xav is okay."

I stared at the golden eyed vampire as he sat nervously by Xavion's side, his pale hand rested gently on Xav's shoulder. I wanted to bite him, wanted to hurt him in any way I possibly could. But the pained look on Xav's face was not from the way he was feeling physically, it was my own stress.

I stepped back and tried to relax.

The scene before me was quite something.

If any human was to walk past I was sure they would think they were going insane. Two giant yellow dingoes stood to the side, watching anxiously as a golden eyed, pale skinned monster inspected the body of a naked teenager, while a naked man who appeared to be in his early twenties at the most, looked over them. Between the naked teenager and the water was a pale golden wolf and standing a good distance from her – aka me – was a clan of pale skin, golden eyed monsters.

My attention flashed back to Xavion, as the vamp got to his feet.

The pale bloodsucker looked me in the eye, "He's going to be alright but you might not be. Can I have permission to look at your neck?"

For a fleeting moment I had no idea what he was talking about; until a flash of hot pain washed up from my neck, just in front of my right shoulder. I had forgotten about the bite but know I remembered it all too clearly. I remembered the sound and feel of my own flesh tearing away from my body. I could feel the sting of the bare flesh against the cold air and ocean spray, and the warm ooze that leaked through my fur as it cooled down in the night.

I snapped at him. Entirely unprepared to let him touch any part of me.

"She'll heal." Randall said sharply as he stood between us, "I think we should just move on. Get away from those Glitt- vamps." Randall had always been more conscientious than me about when he used derogatory vampire slurs.

"Can I have a few minutes?" Xavion coughed as he sat up.

I pushed past Randall and the Blood Fairy to lie down behind Xavion, allowing him to rest his weight on my chest. I was aware that I'd kicked him more than once in my fight against the vamp and I couldn't help but feel a little guilty for Xav's current state.

'It's not your fault, Gob.' Josh whined in my head as he and Mitchell came to sit with me and Xav.

'No, those Glitter Monkeys should have sensed the others.' Mitchell growled, eyeing down the group of vamps that were mulling around a few metres away from us.

'They were helping.' Josh argued, 'I don't know whether you noticed that they had their hands full with the ones that came up behind them.'

I wasn't concerned with whether or not the Cullens had other vampires to contend with. Xav was safe and that was the most important thing. Anyway, my own distaste for vampires could not be worsened any because I had never expected them to help in the first place.

'How many do you think he has?' Josh's chest tightened at the thought of the size of Stendahl's army and his fear that there would be too many was clear.

'He had thirteen guarding the camp.' I muttered, 'I wouldn't be surprised if there was another hundred out there. No doubt we're being watched as it is.'

Josh's fear was not without warrant and I was sure that this wasn't going to be easy. Stendahl didn't drag things out any longer than he needed to. Likely he would send them all in, in one swift attack. If he was going to win then he will do so in a single night.

'Can we beat him?' Mitchell wasn't quite as stressed as Josh but his nerves were frayed. In the back of his mind I could see him thinking about being reunited with his mother and father, and I found the thought somewhat disturbing.

'It doesn't matter. We fight him either way.' I sighed as I lay my head by Xav's hip.

Xav reached his arm out over my neck, his small hand rubbing just behind my ear. He placed his arm fairly awkwardly on my neck as he tried to avoid touching the gaping hole that was barely healing. It was nice to feel him beside me, to know that he was alright.

'You scared me half to death!'

Came a cry from the east and I rolled my head to the side to see how far he was from us. I lay with my cheek pressed to the sandy shore until Embry reached us, which took just a few seconds.

'Everyone thought you were dead.' he was excited to see me and I made sure that he could feel my own joy at seeing him, 'Paul wants you to get back by sun up, do you think you can?'

'I could be there in twenty minutes but I have a pack to care for. Xavion was attacked by a Vein Junky.'

'So were you by the looks of it.' Embry gasped as he eyed the raw flesh of my neck.

'It'll heal.'

"I think I can move now." Xav said with a slight chuckle as he pushed off my side.

He stumbled to his feet and phased. It was the slowest I'd ever seen him phase and I was concerned about him.

'I'm fine. If you can take a bite from a Glitter Monkey than I can handle a little exhaustion.' Xav was energised by his fox form and I sent him a psychic smile.

_**Paul's POV**_

I hate Sam, sometimes.

I'd just found out that the love of my life isn't actually dead and I can only go as far as the northern border of our territory. I could see Ozette Lake to the west and I longed for it to be behind me. I wanted to be with Gabby but thanks to Sam's Alpha Command the best I could do was wait for her to come to me.

It wasn't that I didn't understand why he'd given me the command, Gabby had specified that if she left we all needed to stay to guard the territory. Sam was just honouring the plan he had made with her and I respected him for that.

'Apparently Xavion was attacked by a vampire. Gabby doesn't want to leave him behind.' Sam explained as he sat beside me. No doubt he'd heard me think that I hated him but he wasn't going to comment on it.

'She's an Alpha. What would you do in her shoes? Or paws?' I thought with a large amount of pride.

'I wasn't judging her. I'd do exactly the same thing.'

'Wait! Where were the Cullens? What's the use of having vampires around if they can't stop another vampire?' I growled. Now I wanted so much more to be with Gabby.

'There was an ambush, kind of. The Cullens had their hands full with other vampires.'

I didn't care what their excuse was. I just wanted Gabby with me.

There was movement amongst the trees and my attention pricked. I stood up and scanned the area for more movement. We'd been waiting for more than an hour and every tiny movement had me on my feet with expectation.

I was about to sit back down when Jasper appeared in front of Jacob. Followed, a few seconds later, by the arrival of the rest of the Cullens. Jasper smiled at me and any other time I would have tried to bite him, but I was too excited by the prospect of seeing Gabby to care that much.

"They're almost here. We spotted at least twenty vamps on the other side of the Strait after we'd passed. There aren't any following us though." Jasper said as he turned back to Jacob.

Jacob whined and Edward whispered something to the others before they darted back towards Forks.

I focused back on the trees in front of us and waited. However far away they were, it was too far.

Two amber coloured dingoes bounded from the darkness, their coats shimmering with the remnants of their water crossing, mouthing at one another and emitting high yelps and whines. Their appearance made my heart race because it meant that not only was she close by, she had to be well. They couldn't be that happy if she wasn't.

Randall trotted into view his eyes scanning the eight wolves waiting for them. He stopped halfway to us as if waiting for Gabby to catch up.

I noticed Embry's light grey nose first and then the soft yellow of Gabby started to materialize from the darkness and I pushed hard against the invisible wall that marked the border of our land. Between Gabby and Embry was a hobbling Xavion, breathing heavier than any of the others and walking with stiff gait.

Gabby was gorgeous.

I'd never been so unbelievably excited to see her and her beauty was to my eyes like oxygen to lungs. She looked like she'd run a marathon through uncharted rainforest and hadn't ever showered but I didn't care. There she was, more or less in one piece, and even more unbelievably dazzling as she had been the day she left.

She nudged Xavion's muzzle and he gave an encouraging whimper.

Gabby dashed forward, headed straight towards me and my heart sung. We both reared up as we met, pushing against each other so that as much of ourselves as possible touched. I licked her muzzle and her cheek as she rubbed her face against mine and down my neck.

It was the best feeling that I'd ever felt, feeling her touching me when this morning I was so sure I'd never see her again. I scolded myself for ever thinking she wouldn't be coming back to me.

I couldn't stop myself from whining as I rubbed against her and licked her golden face. She was absolute perfection and she was mine. I never wanted to be without her again, I didn't care if I never saw anyone but her for the rest of my life.

Her muscles twitched as I licked at her neck, then the tip of my tongue ran along something metallic and salty. I pulled away from her, with great reluctance, to inspect her neck. I was horrified to find a large patch of skin missing and her tender red flesh showed through, with strands of hair stuck in the wound.

'She says it's worse than it looks.' Sam laughed and I cringed at the sound.

It just reminded me that there were others around us. I didn't want there to be anyone but us.

Gabby nodded at me and started away from the group. I stuck myself to her side, so we could walk in sync with one another and away from the prying eyes.

If it weren't for the lack of skin on her neck, this would be almost perfect.


	56. Perfect

_**Gabby's POV**_

We sat by a large lake on a small patch of soft emerald grass. Despite my last two almost catastrophic encounters with water, I loved water. And the feel of the lake lapping at my feet was brilliant, especially with Paul's arms wrapped around my waist.

His skin was warm against my stomach and his chest was smooth against my back. He had his chin rested on my left shoulder and he'd kiss my cheek every now and then, as if just to remind me that he was there. Not that I needed reminding.

There was a sensual spark running between us, stronger than it had ever been before. The tighter he held me the more powerful the spark got, and Paul held me very tight. It was like he was worried that I was going to leave him again.

A laughable idea at the moment.

I pushed back against him and he tightened his grip around my waist, his fingertips massaging the outside of my hips. Paul kissed my cheek with a smile and let out a content sigh. The feel of his hot breath on my face and shoulder sent a warm shiver down my spine.

He moved his left arm from my waist to bring his thumb up to my face and stroke my right cheek. I would have leant into his touch but I couldn't move my head in that direction because of the exposed flesh on my lower neck.

I could feel the beat of his strong heart between my shoulder blades and it made my skin prickle. The rise and fall of his chest as he breathed in long deep breaths was rhythmic and comforting. I could have fallen asleep, if it weren't for my own fear that I would never get another chance quite like this one.

Everything around us was so serene that I could have lived in this one moment, forever.

Frogs were calling in the early morning, one close by sounded like a creaking door; which was one of the coolest frog calls I'd ever heard. There was an owl not too far away, but out of sight, that hooted into the early morning. The wind through the trees and the reeds and low tree branches drifting through the water; even the callings of insects was like listening to a symphonic masterpiece.

The moon was still high and it cast a silver glow over everything. The water turned slate gray and streaked with hoary lines by the light. The deep green trees waved in the subtle breeze that stirred the water and wafted the scents of the forest towards us.

But the best bit was that I was here with Paul.

He stopped the gentle rubbing of my cheek and rested his hand gingerly on my shoulder. Sighing louder this time as he looked out over the water.

"What are you so upset about?" I murmured, not wanting to speak too loud in case it ruined the moment.

"I'm far from upset." he kissed my jaw, "I'm just thinking."

I dropped my head back to rest it on his shoulder, forgetting that I had two bites; both of which came in contact with his warm flesh. I gasped and jerked away from him, as much as I loved the feel of his skin, my flesh wasn't as impressed with it as my own skin was.

Of course, he noticed.

"Lean forward a little." he whispered and I did as I was told, too content with the moment to be bothered arguing.

He brushed my hair into a bundle and placed it gently over my left shoulder. His fingers grazed my sensitive skin as he picked single strands out of the mess that was the lower bite. I could hear his breath catching in his throat and imagined the pained look on his face.

"Oh, God." he exhaled heavily as he ran his fingers swiftly around the splayed edges of skin.

He kissed my right shoulder, away from the gaping wound, and his right arm gripped my waist firmly. His lips grazed around the skin of my shoulder and then jumped to the middle of my neck. The feel was strangely intoxicating and I closed my eyes as he started to suck and mouth at my soft skin.

I wanted to turn my and kiss him properly but I couldn't turn my neck enough in either direction. His right arm released my waist and inched down my hip to my outer thigh. His mouth browsed along my skin up to my ear, taking the lobe into his mouth.

Before I could do anything Paul pulled away.

"I shouldn't." he breathed.

"You should." I pressed my hips back into his.

"You're injured."

"I need healing. And I know you can help with that."

Paul laughed as he kissed between my shoulder blades. The feel of his warm lips had butterflies stirring in the stomach and I moaned so he'd know how I felt. He just smiled as he kissed up and along my left shoulder.

"I don't want to hurt you. I just want to enjoy this moment, with you." he whispered between soft kisses.

"I get it. But I want to enjoy _you_."

The sound of Paul's laughter was worse than his hand on my thigh and I felt my own wanton desire building. If I didn't love him so much, I'd strangle him for teasing me like that.

"Let's just watch the sun rise. When we get home, we can enjoy each other."

"You run a hard bargain, Paul Lahote." I groaned as his fingertips ran from my thigh back to my waist.

"I think you should see Sue first." Paul rested his chin on my left shoulder.

"I hate doctors."

"Sue's not a doctor. She's a nurse. And if we're not careful it could get infected."

"I'm a shifter, Paul. My body is a little too hot for ninety-nine-point-nine-nine percent of germs."

"And knowing my luck recently there will be part of that point-oh-one percent in my bed." he kissed my jaw.

"Then we'll avoid the bed." I said with a smirk.

Paul let out a heavy breath, I knew that sound. I was just happy that I could make him feel the way he'd been making me feel. And I could feel his feeling against my lower back.

"You're evil, my little Gala. Evil, I say."

The sound of that name made my stomach clench. I knew he was just trying to be nice but I really didn't like that name. I turned my head to my left; stretching the skin around the larger bite and making myself grimace.

"Please, don't call me that."

Paul looked a little startled but he didn't question me, "Okay. I just... that's okay."

I kissed him, forcefully, and he kissed back. I twisted and jostled so that I was facing him and Paul wrapped his arms around my waist again. I crawled up the grassy bank to straddle Paul's hips as he pulled against my lower back and pushed our stomachs together.

I moved to kiss along Paul's jaw and realised it was a mistake the second that it started moving, "_After_ we've seen Sue."

I closed my eyes tight and sighed, "I hate you, sometimes."


	57. Speckie!

_**Embry's POV**_

It had been three days since Gabby had gotten back. Everyone was still excited about her return. Mainly because Emily and Kim were planning a dinner for all three packs but it kept getting postponed.

Why?

Because of Paul.

Sam had given Paul time off from patrols and Paul had happily taken it. The last time anyone had seen Paul was when Sue had bandaged the large flesh wound on Gabby's shoulder, or neck, it was in that area between the two that was both and yet neither... I was never good at anatomy.

No one really minded. I think we were all just so happy to have Gabby back and see Paul smile again.

Patrols were still regular and serious. Even the Cullens had joined in patrols, although they made sure to patrol far enough outside of Pack territory that their scent didn't cause any confusion with the Aussies.

I liked the Aussies but they weren't used to working with vampires and, like Gabby, didn't have a lot of interest in learning how to. They were an honest, friendly group and amazingly laid-back when considering their ability to fight.

I'd been on patrol with Seth and on the way back to Sam's we came across the Aussies playing a strange variation of football. Although when we'd called it a variation of 'our football' they all got incredibly offended.

"It's nothing like _your_ football." Mitchell had snapped.

"Yeah, our footballers are awesome!" Xavion laughed. He's health had improved dramatically after Kim had made him eat dinner at her and Jared's and then gave him a proper bed to sleep in.

"As I told Paul, the only similarity is the approximate shape of the ball." a very exasperated Josh had sighed.

"Boys, settle down. They're just American, it's not their fault they don't know any better." Randall scolded the Aussies with a generous helping of humour.

Despite their not so P.C. remarks it was clear that they meant it not to offend us but just to poke some fun. I knew from reading Gabby's mind that it was an Australian tradition to rip on people you like.

They'd proceeded to teach us some of the rules of AFL. It was a lot faster than the football we were used to and was just as physical, only it was physical in a different way. I was confused by most of the rules, like handballs, dribbling and behinds. How are you supposed to bounce an oblong ball? It just goes crazy and flies out to your left or right depending on how the ball is feeling the moment it hits the ground.

After about an hour Collin and Shane showed up and joined in. A half hour after that Jared and Kim noticed it, so Kim watched while Jared tried to learn. We ended up playing a game against the Aussies, the five La Push wolves against the four Aussies, and we lost. Not only were there less of them but they were collectively younger too.

Needless to say after three hours I still sucked. Thankfully, so did everyone else.

"What the hell are you guys doing?"

We all turned towards Sam's to see Paul standing on the small back porch. He looked baffled.

"I'm teaching your brothers how to play football." Josh said cheerfully as he ran up behind Randall and jumped onto his back, screaming "Speckie!" as he did so. His knees rested for a moment on Randall's back before Josh fell forward and landed heavily at Randall's feet.

"That so was not." Xav argued, "There was no ball and no contest. Definitely not a speckie."

"Where's Gabby?" I asked as Paul trotted over.

"At the Clearwaters'."

Xavion pushed past Randall to gaze up at Paul, "Is she alright?"

"She's fine. The... ah, bite on the side of her neck isn't healing as fast as it should." Paul smiled at Xav and I got the feeling that Gabby was really rubbing off on Paul.

"I wouldn't have thought you'd be able to leave her side." Jared laughed as he snatched the football from Collin and tried to handball it to Randall.

Randall caught it but the ball had barely been heading towards him. I laughed at Jared's pathetic handpass.

"I didn't want to. She threatened to add vegemite to all my meals for a month if I didn't leave. That shit is nasty." Paul pretended to gag at the thought of vegemite.

"Have you had Gabby make you vegemite toast? She does the best vegemite toast. Even my mum couldn't do it as well as Gob." Josh chuckled and took the football back off Randall, "Who wants to keep proving how Australians are better?"

"Bullshit. Give us a few more lessons and we'll kick your ass." Collin retorted as he moved away to join in. Everyone except myself, Jared, Paul and Randall went back to the strange 'football' game.

"So, honestly, how is she?" Randall queried as he stepped in line with Paul and looked back at the younger shifters.

"She really is good. She's not in the least bit concerned about the bite but I don't know... I don't think it's healed at all." Paul sighed.

"Gob takes a little longer to heal then most of us. Not to mention, it was a vamp bite. I agree with Gob, it'll probably heal perfectly in the next few days." Randall said and I was surprised at just how credible he sounded.

Paul looked unconvinced and he chewed on his lower lip for a few moments, "Actually, I have another question for you." He looked hesitant to say anything but he'd started now so, "When you two left I was a little-"

"Infatuated." I suggested.

"Obsessed." Jared proposed with a smirk.

"Firstly, all I can say to you, Jared, is Kim. Secondly, I was both those things before she left." I was impressed that Paul would admit that, "Anyway... I was on the net looking up anything that came to mind and I did a little name searching. I found this one name that I could use as a nickname for Gabby and I found this one that I thought suited her perfectly but when I mentioned it to her she kind of... I don't want to say freaked but she really didn't want me to call her-"

"Gala." Randall sighed.

I thought of that name from Gabby's memories and knew instantaneously that Paul would never be allowed to call her that.

"Yeah, how did you know?"

Randall bit his lip and sighed, "It's what her dad used to call her."

Paul looked sickened, "S- st-"

"No. Her real father, my Uncle Ewan." Randall watched the boys play in silence for a little while, and we all knew that we were waiting for him to continue, "He used to call her his Gala and he was the only one who ever called her that. She loves you, Paul, but that name has meaning that no one will ever be able to change."

"Was he a good father?" Jared suddenly asked, "I mean, the way she talks about him... I never know whether he's a good guy or not."

Randall smiled with a faraway look in his eyes, "Ewan was... he was a good dad. No, he was a great dad. He did everything for Gob and Jilli, and he was an easy going guy. He was true blue, really Aussie.

"What happened to that family... it was horrible and... the whole pack suffered. Gabby really leant on Uncle Ew, he always said that Gabby was 'his girl'. Jilli was her mother's daughter. When Uncle Ew committed suicide... she was devastated.

"Our grandparents, our Ganna and Gumpa, Ruth and Lloyd, they were Ewan's parents. They blamed Gob, said it was her fault and they wanted nothing to do with her because she'd ruined their happy family. My mum, I don't know whether Gob mentioned her, Georgette?" Jared and Paul shivered, "She tried to stand up for Gob but... Ganna was avid."

"Your mum. She died when-"

Randall nodded, "She was tortured by Stendahl." It was a little disturbing how stoic he was as he said it, "I don't blame Gabby for it."

"Why would you?" Jared was shocked and the question came out with a laugh.

"Because she does." Paul sighed, "She blames herself for everything that Stendahl has done and will do."

"He's her father. She's half him. She thinks." I muttered as the ball flew towards me. My negativity was replaced by enthusiasm as I ran forward to _mark_ the ball and then continued on into the game.

_**Author's Note:**_

**For those of you who aren't Australian:**

**A 'mark' is when you catch a football that has been kicked over 15metres.**

**A 'speckie' is a **_**spec**_**tacular mark, which is generally when you catch the ball after jumping on someone else's back to reach higher/further than them (normally has numerous players after the ball)**

**Oh and Uncle Ew is pronounced like Uncle U. I just couldn't find a way of writing it that made sense.**

**Thanks for reading this far guys.**


	58. Concerns

_**Gabby's POV**_

I guess that Sue is nice enough.

She was a no nonsense nurse who didn't really take any shit from anyone. It was clear that she didn't like giving in to my touch issues but when your patient can turn into a giant wolf capable of killing a vampire it's generally best not to push them too much.

I tried to keep my cool and did so for the most part.

Sue tenderly removed the square gauze from the still raw and fleshy bite. My skin was so sensitive that I could feel her nails as they scraped along my skin to get a grip on the edge of the gauze. It took a fair amount of effort not to try to break her hand.

It surprised me that Sue would allow me in here unattended.

She tisked over the exposed flesh and the sound irritated me.

"What?"

"Well, it is healing but not as fast as I would like. Is it still sore?" Sue placed a hand on my neck and my shoulder to manipulate the flesh around the wound.

"Not as much as it was. It itches a lot though."

"Now _that_ is a good sign." there was a hint of a smile in her voice.

"I don't mean to sound rude but could you please just dress it so I can go back to Paul's."

"Are you feeling alright?"

I yawned as I spoke and it muffled the words, but I figured she would still get the point, "Yeah, just really tired."

Sue walked around the table to stand in front of me, "Are you normally this tired?"

"Well... I guess not but I feel fine. I think it's mostly Paul's fault." I smiled slyly trying to get the point across without using words.

"So, your libido is fine then?" Sue laughed.

There was a knock on the door and Sue yelled for whoever it was to enter. A few moments later Paul walked into the combined kitchen and dining room, his face brightening as he looked me in the eye.

"So, how is she, doc?" he beamed as he knelt down beside me.

"She's healing, slowly. I'll get you to bring her back in a few days so I can change the dressing again." Sue smiled at us as she sat down.

"Do you know why it's not healing faster?" Paul wondered.

"I was talking to Carlisle and he thinks it's all about the venom. Even without the venom that would be a hard wound to heal." Sue smiled and it softened her hard face a little more.

Paul stared at my neck for a moment, "And the one above that?"

"Well, it's all healed. Carlisle thinks that it may be what caused us to lose contact with her. He believes the venom was too close to her brain and impeded the transmission."

Paul kissed my cheek and I was overly aware of Sue watching us, "Come on, let's go home." I wondered if he had even been listening to Sue's answer.

Paul grabbed my hands and pulled me out of my seat. I gave into him and he pulled me up under his arm to hug my shoulder.

We were just about out the front door when Sue yelled after us, "And Paul?" We stopped, "Let the poor girl get some sleep. I know you're happy to have her back but the more energy she has the better it'll be overall."

"What did you say to her?" Paul whispered with a huge grin as we continued away from the house.

"Just that I was tired."

"And she just guessed that that was my fault?"

"I may have implied there was a _reason_ but I didn't say it was _all_ your fault." I smiled as he squeezed my shoulders.

"Good. Because we both know it's more you than me."

"Hey! I'm just not confining it to the bedroom, that doesn't mean you're not as responsible as me."

We walked through Paul's front door and he slammed it shut. I jumped at the sound, not expecting it to be so loud, and Paul stifled a laugh.

He came up behind me, spun me around and pushed me back into the wall, "I think I have some responsibility to catch up on."

Paul dropped his head slightly to kiss me and I instinctively kissed back. I loved the feel of kissing Paul. It was always so warm and passionate and I couldn't imagine anyone else ever being as good as him.

I pushed him away, much to my body's displeasure, "We need to talk."

"I don't like the sound of that. Can't we talk later?" he tried to kiss me again.

I turned my head to the side, "No, Paul. This is serious."

_**Paul's POV**_

My chest was tightening with every second that we stood there; saying nothing, doing nothing. Rachel had used that line too, when she'd told me about John. I didn't want another talk like that.

Gabby grabbed my hand and led me to the living room, where she sat on her knees on the couch. I sat in front of her, my mouth too dry to be able to ask her what the problem was. She smiled at me and I had no idea how to feel about that. I was glad she was smiling but fearful that the smile was covering up something very serious and very bad. For me at least.

"Are you okay?" she asked as her smile dropped.

"I'm not sure. What do you want to talk about?"

She seemed to realise something, "It's not bad. I promise. I just want to put something out there."

"Something like what?"

"What's going to happen if we survive Stendahl?"

I thought about it for a moment. To me there wasn't really a question. Once Stendahl was out of the way things would just go back to normal.

Normal...

Normal for me was before Gabby showed up. Normal for me was living here with Rachel.

Normal for Gabby was globetrotting. Normal for Gabby was a solitary life.

"I don't know." I confessed.

"It's just that... with me being an Alpha now and you being part of Sam's pack... once the threat's gone, we should be as well. Me and the Aussies that is."

This wasn't what I'd expected but somehow it was just as bad, "I don't want you to leave."

"And I don't want to leave you but... two packs living on one territory would... it's not normal for wolves."

"Why did you specify wolves then?" I cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Well, my old Pack wasn't a pack in the same sense that you guys are. We were more a collection of generally independent animals. The few wolves there stuck together but the dingoes lived in smaller family groups."

"Well, why can't we do that?" I hated the thought of her leaving.

"I'd be willing to try but... really I just wanted to bring this up with you before I spoke to Sam."

I was relieved. There was no way Sam would send Gabby away, not since the others had come to the conclusion that I'd imprinted on her. I still wasn't sure that I'd imprinted again, although it did feel more like imprinting than anything else, there was no one look and I knew she was meant to be mine. It was more gradual than imprinting normally was.

"Is this all you wanted to talk about?" I had to make sure there wasn't something worse coming.

"Yes." she smiled and pushed herself forward to kiss me.

I fell back against the arm of the couch, dragging Gabby with me. I wasn't ever going to let her go and I felt a need to show that to her at this very moment.


	59. Surprise!

_**Gabby's POV**_

I can't describe how comfortable I felt at that moment.

I was lying on Paul's hard torso, his arms draped gently around my naked waist. My head was rested next to his on the arm of the couch and I was watching him as he smiled and stared at the ceiling.

How could I choose sleep over this? I'd be tired for forever just to feel like this numerous times a day.

Someone knocked on the door.

We both groaned and sat up. Paul was dressed in two seconds flat, seeing how he only needed his shorts. I took a little longer because the bite on my neck made it hard to move my shoulder and I was essentially getting dressed with one arm. I had a bra and my pants on when Paul headed to the door.

"I was going to look through the window but decided against it. Looks like I decided right. Hey, Gabby." Jared looked as bright and cheery as ever.

"Hey." I smiled as I pulled my singlet down.

"What do you need?" Paul said with casual concern.

"I actually came to retrieve Gabby." I furrowed my brow and glanced at Paul before Jared continued, "Emily was planning a barbeque, in the hopes you were coming around and... long story short, you need to talk to Randall."

"Can it wait?" I asked as I heaved myself off of the couch.

"Not really." Jared smiled meekly and I got the feeling I would not be able to get out of this.

I sighed loudly and headed towards the door, "Typical fucking Randall, always gets into trouble at the most inconvenient time."

"It would have been more inconvenient half an hour ago." Paul smirked.

"I did _not_ need to hear that!" Jared groaned as he moved away from the front door and started back to Sam's.

We walked most of the way to Sam's in relative silence, with just the occasional comment to stop the mood from becoming too static and awkward.

"So what did he do?" I asked as we rounded the corner to Sam and Emily's street.

Jared looked nervous and it made me suspect the worse, "He hasn't really done anything wrong, it's just that Jacob is a little peeved."

Paul rolled his eyes and I just frowned.

We could hear them halfway down the street. Jacob yelling at Randall, Randall yelling back. Mixed among the gruff yells of the two young men was the infrequent interjection of other people, desperately trying to sooth the situation.

"This isn't any of your fucking business!" Randall was in the living room and yelling at the top of his lungs.

"I beg to differ!" Jacob sounded just as pissed but seemed a little more in control than Randall.

"You can beg all you want. It won't change anything." Randall said with heavy malice.

"Randy." a familiar female voice gasped.

As we walked through the front door and stepped into the living room I noticed that the room was surprisingly full. Jacob's entire pack was huddled in the usual corner, why he loved that corner so much I have no idea.

Randall was in the opposite corner, closer to the centre of the room than Jacob and looking just as furious. The three young Australian shifters stood behind Randall, a united force – I was quite proud – while a good portion of Sam's pack were scattered around the room, including Sam.

"What's going on?" I grumbled, looking at Randall because I knew he'd tell me the truth.

"Your beta can't keep it in his pants." Jacob snapped.

"It's in there now." Randall snarled under his breath.

I turned to Jacob, "You! I'm not talking to you so shut it!"

He opened his mouth to say something but I interrupted him, "No. I said _shut it_, if I have to ask again it'll be with actions not words." Jacob relaxed his shoulders but remained glaring at me.

I turned back to Randall, knowing that I didn't have to ask him twice.

Randall smiled at me, "She's perfect."

"Gunna need some more." I said with more hostility than was really necessary.

Randall's eyes flashed towards Jacob and I looked over my shoulder at the leech-loving alpha. That was when I noticed that Leah was standing next to Jacob looking both shocked and besotted. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on.

"Josh, Mitch, Xav. Leave." I groaned and waited for them to leave.

Sam seemed to get what I was aiming for, "Guys, go with them."

Sam looked back at Jacob with raised eyebrows. Jacob didn't seem to notice anyone but Randall.

"Embry, Quil, Seth. You go too." Leah said without looking at them.

"No!" Jacob yelled, "There is no need for them to leave because this isn't going to last long. I say no."

"This isn't your-"

"Shut up, Randy." I growled, "I don't know what your problem is Jacob but seriously, give it a rest."

"It's not like I meant for it to happen." Randall muttered to himself, "But I'm still glad it did."

"How is it that you could go so long and not see Leah?" I asked as I turned back to Randy.

"I don't know but... you don't agree with him, do you?"

"The over grown freak of nature? No. I honestly don't care who you sleep with, love or imprint on. If Jacob does than you can either settle it outside or shut the fuck up. This screaming match is just stupid and quite frankly... girly." I said casting a final look over my shoulder at Jacob.

"Freak of nature?" Jacob questioned, "Is that what I am?"

"You imprinted on a vampire. It doesn't get much freakier." I don't know where it came from but after I heard Jacob yelling and Randy I began itching for a fight, against Jacob specifically.

"You stole my sister's imprint." Jacob said through gritted teeth.

"I stole nothing. Paul is a grown man he makes his own decisions. He acts like a man. Instead of starting fights with people over things that can't be helped or changed." I turned to Leah, my anger softening, "I'm glad you've imprinted."

I was beyond bloated. I felt like if I moved I would vomit, that was how much I'd eaten. Emily was a very good cook, her salads had been great. Although, it had been the guys – Jared, Paul, Randall and Sam – who cooked the meat. Well, they didn't so much cook it as argue over it, but it eventually all got cooked and it was good.

The sun had started to set and the guys, all the guys, were now playing a very sloppy game of AFL. I wondered if I'd ever played that bad.

"Your imprints all suck at football." I said as I rolled my left shoulder.

"Mine doesn't." Leah crowed softly.

Kim ignored her, "They suck at _Australian_ Football."

"So does yours." Emily laughed.

I didn't think of Paul being my imprint. I loved him and that was enough for me. Ever since I took over as Alpha of the Aussies and found out that imprinting was known of in my old pack, I'd been more than a little pissed at that, I'd been considering the implications of imprinting. I just didn't think that was us, it was incredibly close but it wasn't imprinting.

"He's not my imprint." I said.

"Then what is he?" Kim pried.

"I- I don't know but... he's not that."

"He thinks he is. Sam thinks he is. Everyone in Sam's pack thinks he is." Emily was smiling at me and it made me feel quite awkward, "How many boyfriends have you had?"

I wasn't sure where she was going with that, "I've lived alone since I was sixteen."

"So, Paul is your first boyfriend?" Kim grinned devilishly.

"No." I said with defensive certainty.

"Of course not." Randall said with a false gasp and feigned offense.

"Shut up, Randalph."

Randall looked annoyed, "Stop calling me that! No one has called me that in almost seven years."

Leah reached out to him and he smiled as he took her hands. Leah pulled him forward and he knelt over her, pecking her softly on the lips.

"Randalph! Not appropriate." I growled, kind of disturbed by the affectionate display. Knowing Randall as well as I did and having a small amount of insight into Leah, it just wasn't something I expected from either of them.

"Zakarias Lowell." Randy smiled at me and I wanted to kick him.

"Who's that?" Paul asked as he jumped over the railing to stand in front of me.

I chewed my lip and looked away from him. I'd never been concerned with that part of my life, before Stendahl showed up, but with Paul watching me I was suddenly ashamed of my past. I noticed Josh approaching and knew he was within hearing range, it only made things worse.

"He's my big bro." Josh beamed as he leant against the rails, his young face pressed hard between two of the vertical slats, "What's he got to do with anything?"

"Oh... right..." Randall sighed and looked away. He tried to frown but I could see the smile that refused to be suppressed.

"You're a fucking wanker, Randalph."

"And just for that..." Randy sung as he turned back to Josh and said in a loud clear voice, "Did Gabby ever come around and-"

"You will _**not**_ finish that sentence." I ordered, the thought of Josh hearing how Randall would word my relationship with his brother made me very nervous.

Unfortunately for me, Josh had matured a little since the last time we'd spent this much time together and he was able to add two and two together, "You- you slept with my brother?" Josh looked hurt.

Mitchell laughed, "You have horrible tastes in men. No offence, Paul."

Paul didn't say anything to Mitchell; he was just staring at me, "What does Mitchell mean?"

"He doesn't mean anything." I stuttered.

"Did anyone... ever... hurt you?"

"No." I lied, not wanting to go any further into this.

Mitchell and Josh didn't seem to get the hint and they snorted in derision.

Paul just stared at me. I couldn't bear to see him looking so serious, so I whispered the name. Even whispering it made me want to throw up. I hadn't thought about him in what felt like years, although I had to admit it felt like years since I'd met Paul so that obviously wasn't saying much.

"Gabby..?" Paul said and it was clear he was not in the mood for games.

"Rhys."


	60. Scarred

_**Gabby's POV**_

"Why?" Paul growled as he paced around the living room, "What could you have ever possibly seen in that little creep?"

"I don't understand why it bothers you so much."

We were back at Paul's and thankfully alone. Unfortunately, it didn't matter where we were because Paul was struggling with this little tid-bit. He had dragged me from Sam's back to his place and I thanked him for getting me out of there, but that had led to now. To Paul pacing and shaking his head.

"Because... it just does. Did he ever... you know?"

"You don't know what you're made of until you go through something big. He wasn't always a wimpy bastard."

"I'll take that as a yes." Paul groaned.

"That's a 'please understand'."

"Did you sleep with him?" Paul stopped pacing and dropped into a squat in front of me, holding my knees and staring at me with desperation.

"No. He wanted to but..." I stared back, wanting so badly to show Paul everything just as I, accidently, did with Embry.

Paul smiled and cupped my cheek, "You knew he was no good."

"No." I admitted, "I wanted to, as well. We just never got the chance."

Paul clearly didn't like that, "But you did sleep with that Zakarias guy?"

I nodded, "He was my first."

"Is there anyone else I should know about?"

I shook my head.

"So, Zakarias and I are the only people you've ever slept with?" He didn't seem to believe me and I was slightly offended.

"Zak was my first. You are my last. There was no one in between. Well, there was my friend Beth..."

Paul gulped, but it wasn't anger or annoyance portrayed in his darkening eyes, "Beth..?"

I smiled, "You're so fucking gullible."

"You're evil." Paul smiled wickedly.

"The thought of me with another woman turns you on. Doesn't it?" I smirked as I pulled his face towards mine.

"Not as much as it would have eight years ago." Paul said as he pulled away and rested his forehead on mine, "Don't get me wrong, it's hot but... I want to be the only one that ever touches you. I don't even want you to touch yourself."

"In a disturbing way, that was sweet. I don't like sweet." I laughed.

"I can't help how I feel. You are just so... delectable."

"I think delectable is a bit of an overstatement."

Paul pulled away further, so that he could see my whole face, "Why would you say that?"

Again, he looked hurt. I didn't like seeing him hurting.

"I'm not saying that I'm ugly I just... I'm average." I said, trying to make it sound like I was okay with that. Which I was but I knew Paul would latch onto any negative emotion he could find.

"You're better than average. You're stunning."

"Who are you kidding Paul, look at me. There's barely ten square inches of me that isn't scarred to high hell." I was starting to get a little annoyed with him.

"So? The scars make you unique."

"They're a remnant of the single most horrible night of my life. How can you think that they're beautiful?" I pushed Paul away and glared at him.

"I hate that you went through that. I hate that you were ever hurt in any way. But I love you, all of you. That includes the scars."

I could have punched him, I wanted to punch him. I hated the scars. They're why I avoided looking into just about every reflective surface that I came across. The thought that anyone could like them, that someone could know how they came to be and be okay with that.

It wasn't really a conscious decision. I just pushed Paul even further away from me, so hard he stumbled back, and stormed from the house.

I sat at the beach, my feet buried in the sand as I watched the waves crash against the yellow shoreline.

It wasn't like me to get so touchy about that sort of thing. I was fine with my body, mainly because I didn't have to look at it that much. The scars made me sick. They gave me nightmares. If there was one thing I could change about myself, it would be the scars.

When I was a teenager I was fairly attractive. Not supermodel gorgeous or actress pretty but nice enough that I never had to worry about how I looked. There were heaps of girls prettier than me, my sister Jilli for one, and I was always good with that.

Jilli had been supermodel gorgeous, she took after our mother like that. She had long butterscotch hair that never had a single strand out of place. A beautiful round face that made her look years younger than she was and flawless alabaster skin, that rivalled that of a vampire; only hers was beautiful and not monstrous. Her eyes were the softest baby blue and framed by eye lashes that were almost unnaturally long.

If there was ever someone that I envied for their looks, it was my sister Jilli.

The thought of Jilli reminded me of what Stendahl had done to her. Of the strange way that she still looked pretty even when her face was contorted in agony. How her pale skin had shone through the rivers of scarlet that flowed over her slender teenage body...

High school photos.

Although my mum use to fret over every little detail, I never looked all that good in my photos. I didn't have a very photogenic face and I had no time to bother with makeup so my photos always looked wrong somehow. Somehow my hair would be out of place, the collar of my polo shirt wouldn't sit right, or was stained between leaving home and getting to the photos, and my smile always looked fake.

My sister Jillian on the other hand, she had been beautiful and her photos were flawless. Her light hair sat perfectly around her delicate face and her dress looked as though it had been put on just seconds before the flash went off. I couldn't compete against her, no matter how hard I tried and how little she tried, she never took a bad photo.

I wished I had one of those photos but I knew they were all long gone. Destroyed with the town. Destroyed like my old life; there was not getting them back.

There was movement beside me. I felt someone brush against my side and saw long muscular legs slide out in front of us. I didn't bother to look at him directly, couldn't see the point since I already knew who it was.

I leant into Paul and he squeezed my shoulders in a sideways hug. The wound on my neck stung a little but I ignored it. I wanted to say sorry but my mouth ignored that thought.

"I'm sorry." Paul whispered and a tear raced down my cheek. This wasn't his fault, "Can I explain?"

I nodded slightly and then rolled my face into his chest. He lifted his right arm to pull me into a proper hug as he kissed my hair.

"I know that you see the scars and think about the hurt they caused. But I don't see them like that. It's horrible and I feel like my heart has been ripped from my chest when I think about it. I would do anything to be able to rid you of that pain. But I can't lie. It would hurt me to do so."

I wasn't sure what he was trying to get at but I didn't say anything. I don't think I could have found the words if I wanted to.

"It would hurt me because... no, maybe a better way to put it is... those scars led you here. They led you to me. I hate how you got them, I hate that they were inflicted but I can't really hate them. If you didn't have them then I'd have never met you and this," he hugged me a little tighter, "this would have eluded me forever."

I smiled into Paul's chest as another tear fell.


	61. First and Last Chance

_**Author's Note:**_

_**This is another one that gets a little gross (i.e. a fight scene between two shifters) I don't think it's too bad (gross) but I just thought I'd warn you in case you don't like that sort of stuff.**_

_**Gabby's POV**_

"Just as I said." Sue bragged as she finished peeling the gauze from my neck.

Paul stood up and craned his neck so that he could see it better. A smile spread across his face and he reached out to touch it. I flinched instinctively and grimaced until his fingers contacted my skin and it didn't hurt. There was a small prickle where he touched but in terms of pain there was absolutely nothing.

"Beautiful." he sighed.

"Did it scar?" I asked, trying to see the area although I knew it was pointless.

"Yeah, your best scar yet." Paul smiled at me.

Sue wiped at the area with a warm cloth and the skin tingled. I rolled my shoulder away, and Sue sighed, "Stop fidgeting."

"It feels weird."

"Says the girl who transforms into a wolf at will. Do you realise the irony?" Paul laughed.

I was about to reply when a howl cut through the air. It was a deep melodious howl of a wolf who was definitely not one of Sam's or Jacob's packs. My chest seized at the sound and my eyes darted to Paul's.

Paul looked confused but confusion was soon replaced by horrid realisation. He looked back at me with wide eyes.

As one we turned to the door and bolted.

We raced down the street, past more than a couple confused looking Quileutes, and down towards Sam's house. I figured that they had arrived there because of the concentration of shifter scents that gathered there.

When we arrived it looked as it always did and we dashed around to the back of the house.

Around the back, standing halfway between the house and the forest was the hard face of the one man in this world that I genuinely wanted to kill. He was flanked by two muscular men who were in turn flanked by two big fawn and grey wolves. Behind the five shifters was a band of at least two dozen vampires.

Sam and most of his pack were standing facing them; only Sam was in human form. I noticed the small grey wolf that was Leah standing next to Randall, also in canine form. Paul phased on the fly and I pushed my way through the mass of shifters to the front.

Stendahl's eyes brightened when he saw me and I was tempted to attack him in human form. I wished I had a gun that I could press to his temple.

"Is this everyone?" Stendahl smiled wide as he scanned the group.

"What are you doing here, Stendahl?" I snarled, not taking my eyes off him.

He looked offended but I knew it was an act, "Please, I am your father. You should address me as such."

Sam tensed beside me and I remained silent.

"Where is my son?" Stendahl asked as he waved his goons to step back.

"You do not have a son here." Sam said in a deep, gruff voice.

I hadn't noticed whether Embry was here or not but didn't want to look in case he was and Stendahl figured it out; I hated the guy, but he was very perceptive.

Jacob and the rest of his pack arrived, sliding in amongst the wolves and dingoes (and fox) already standing their ground. Jacob hid in the middle of the combined pack to get dressed before making his way to the front with myself and Sam.

Stendahl's smile flickered, "This is not him."

"Of course not. You are not a father, you're a sperm donor." I said with as much conviction as I could muster.

"Okay..." Stendahl appeared to be losing patience, "I've brought a peace offering."

Several canines growled at that but we otherwise remained motionless.

Stendahl lifted his right arm and twitched his hand as if calling someone forward. The smile on his face wider and brighter than ever. He didn't react in any way as a vampire came to stand next to him, although I knew it was visible that I had a problem with said vampire.

She had long matted black hair and skin that was a sickly green shade. She was about five and a half foot tall and stood almost akimbo. I say almost because she only had the one hand to place on her hip, just like she only had one side of her head covered with her misshapen knot of hair. The skull had mostly healed, although there were a few dirty holes where chunks of her shattered skull hadn't been found.

It was the one that had tried to drown Xavion.

The desire to slaughter the beast was strong but I knew that I wouldn't be able to phase and then phase back without destroying my clothes. Stendahl was the only person in the world that I knew I wouldn't feel comfortable being around in the nude.

"I never asked her to kill the fox." Stendahl said but I knew it was a lie, "So she is yours, for the killing."

The vampire looked nervous and disgusted, like she was being pressured into something she didn't want by less than savoury pressures. I didn't feel any remorse for her though, I wanted her dead and burning, if not for trying to drown Xav, then for simply being what she was.

"I'm not you." I growled, ignoring the want to kill the Vein Junky.

"You can lie to your little friends but you know you can't lie to me. Ingemar." Stendahl laughed as one of his lackeys stepped forward.

He was in human form but I recognised him from our last meeting. Ingemar was just as cocky and arrogant then, although I had hoped that both those things would have lessened a little since our last encounter.

Ingemar looked to be in his late-twenties but he was closer to his mid-forties. He'd been a loyal follower to Stendahl since before they destroyed my life. I couldn't help but think that if he hadn't submitted to Stendahl he would have been a happy, handsome well adjusted shifter. He was short for a shifter, at barely six foot, but was built like a proverbial brick shithouse.

He was almost the spitting image of Stendahl in both human and wolf form, the main difference being that Stendahl was taller and had both ears. In human form Ingemar's hair was a few shades lighter, but otherwise they were identical.

Ingemar had lost an ear to none other than yours truly. After the destruction of my town I wanted revenge, my pathetic half brother had been the one to bear the brunt of that and he would always be scarred by it. Not only was he missing his right ear but he had little movement about his left eye. There were several deep, thick scars that ran above and through his eye socket, the cuts that had caused them had severed muscles and damaged nerve endings.

To my own disgust my lips twitched into a momentary smile at the memory.

"If you won't take the vampire, will you take on your brother, again." said the very proud Stendahl and I wondered who that pride was aimed at.

"No." I spat.

Stendahl officially lost all his patience and an exasperated growl tore from his throat, "You have four options and two outcomes. Either my daughter and my son join me, one of them joins me or neither of them do. If you both join me, now, then I will turn away and leave this town unscathed. The other three potential outcomes will result in destruction. I will not make this offer again, and you know that's not a lie, Gabriella."

"Bite me." I snarled and exploded into my wolf form.

Stendahl signalled his little army to leave but Ingemar wasn't paying attention any more.

He was shivering from head to foot and then, rather slowly, phased into his pudgy wolf self. In the time it took for him to start and finish phasing both Sam and Jacob had phased and were trying to stare him down.

'No!' I yelled at them, 'If he wants to fight, he'll fight me.'

Ingemar leapt forward and I ducked his attack, catching his forepaw and pulling it to the side so far that I heard the bones break. He yelped as he hit the ground and skidded through the gathered wolves that had backed me. The combined packed jumped out of the way of the fallen enemy.

Ingemar was an exceptionally fast healer of broken bones and it was less than a minute before he was back on his feet.

I lunged at his neck, clasping my teeth around the muscular body part and retching the white ventral side around as if trying to unscrew his head. Ingemar's feet slipped from under him and he landed with a heavy thud. I retained my grip on his neck, forcing him onto his back and into submission.

Ingemar whined for me to release him but I held on for a few more moments, making sure he got the message I was trying to send. Forty years old or not, I wouldn't bow to him. And I wouldn't bow to Stendahl.

When I let him go he jerked back onto his feet and bolted towards the relative safety of his father and brothers. This infuriated one brother, a young shifter who hadn't been a part of the squad when I'd last confronted them. He bit at Ingemar's tail and then turned to me.

I was a little shocked that he would be so blatant in his attack and as he beared down on me I manoeuvred my head to avoid his gaping mouth and clamped my jaws around his ear. We can heal cuts and scratches and breaks but we can't regrow appendages. I caught more than his ear between my jaw but I didn't care, I pressed down as hard as I could. He tried to pull away but I stayed glued to him until I felt the distinctive jerk in my jaws that signalled his skin had broken.

My mouth started to fill with blood and as he tore himself away from me, he unknowingly tore himself away from his own ear. The resounded prolonged yelp told me that he'd realised his own mistake a little too late and he turned back to his little pack. One ear gone and blood dripping down his cheek.

I dropped the chunk of flesh and watched as the vampires and shifters slink back into the forest.


	62. Recruits

_**Gabby's POV**_

Sam came up beside me, his black lips pulled up to show his sharp white teeth and a low growl rumbling from his throat as the last vampire hauled itself into a tree before disappearing into the forest.

Someone nudged me roughly in the shoulder and I whipped around at the unexpected gesture.

Jared was standing there, half naked, and he flinched at my sudden movement. He stood his ground with a pair of pants and a t-shirt in his outstretched arms. I phased and took the clothes with a soft 'thank-you'.

I could feel and taste the blood around my mouth and it made me gagged a little. I wiped my face as I turned around and found that everyone else had phased back to their human selves; noticing that Embry, Seth and a couple of younger shifters weren't amongst the group.

"We should talk inside." I said and my voice sounded coarse.

As we turned back to Sam's house another howl pierced through the air. It wasn't a threatening howl but we were all set on edge.

Seth darted from the trees and skidded to a stop in front of Sam and whined softly. Sam didn't falter, he pulled down his cut offs and phased. After a few seconds he phased back.

"Paul, come with me. Jared, I want you to take my place in the discussions." he said gruffly before phasing back and following Seth. Paul strode past me, close enough that I felt a tingle as his skin grazed against mine, and stepped out of his shorts to phase without tearing them.

"Okay, you all heard Sam." Jared took the roll of fill-in Alpha in his stride as he turned and walked purposefully back to the house.

The house was dark and I figured that Sam had asked Emily to leave when he'd noticed Stendahl's arrival. As we walked down the hall I realised that the kitchen light was on and I wondered if Emily were still in the house.

As we entered the living room I realised that she wasn't. I sighed in relief.

I sat down on the couch next to Jared. Randall sat to my right and, much to Jacob's chagrin, Leah sat beside him, amongst the Aussies. Brady stood on the other side of Jared, the remaining members of Sam's pack huddled in the corner.

Jacob sat opposite us, flanked by Quil, and looking very meek in comparison to the numerous shifters opposite them. Despite their meekness, Jacob looked unhappy. I started to wonder if I'd ever seen Jacob smile, I mean truly smile.

"So..." Jared was racking his brain to find a way to start this conversation, "where do we go from here?"

"Patrols." I sighed, "How did they manage to get past your patrols? I'm not too worried about that though; you need to set up tighter patrols around the town. Keep the territorial ones but also focus on the town."

"That's his army?" Jacob scoffed.

"Most likely that is only some of it. There was maybe two dozen behind him, probably another two dozen in the forest. And if we are lucky, two dozen back at his camp."

"You think that two dozen vampires at his camp is lucky?" Jacob growled and the muscles in his jaw clenched tightly.

"It would be lucky because it's more likely he had ten dozen waiting for his return. I don't know his exact numbers, we probably never will."

"Then what was the point of your little adventure a week ago?" Jacob snapped.

Oh how I hated this boy. That's what he was, a boy. I wasn't sure how old he was but he acted like he was in his early teens at the very most. Xav, Mitch and Josh were more mature than him. I really wanted to hit him.

"What is your problem?" Jared snarled, clearly as annoyed as I was.

"My problem is that the people we love are under threat and it's all _her_ fault!" Jacob got to his feet and Randall and the Aussies jumped up at the same time.

I hate to say it but it felt good to be defended by them, even though I didn't need them to.

"Sit down." I growled at 'the Aussies' and they returned to their places in the corner, "Blame me all you want, Jacob. It doesn't change anything. Stendahl is coming and regardless of my presence he would have gotten here eventually."

"You can't possibly know that." Jacob yelled.

"I can. You saw his lackey's, saw how similar they looked. They were his sons, my brothers. It's Stendahl's goal in life to build himself an militia of shifters so he spends his time trying to add to those ranks. Stendahl would have come for Embry whether I was here or not."

"So you should be glad she is." Jared glared at Jacob, "Without her we would not know what to expect. Embry may have had the same experience as Gabby, his family destroyed in the same way. Gabby is helping us."

"Fine." Jacob huffed as he sat back down, "What will he do next?"

I looked down at the carpet. I'd known this question was coming but I had never expected it would be this hard to answer. It wasn't like I was telling them something that they couldn't have already figured out for themselves. I guess it was Jacob's words, echoing around my head, 'all her fault'.

He was right. If I'd stayed away than maybe Stendahl would have avoided North America for a few more years. For long enough that Embry would have left, or their pack could have been stronger. I was certain that Stendahl would have come eventually but I felt like I had rushed Stendahl here and put them in immediate danger.

I sighed heavily, "Next, he'll attack. Swift and hard."

"When?" Jared asked, his voice humble with concern.

"I don't know." I said as Jacob snorted, I ignored him, "This is about the time when we have to be prepared for anything at anytime."

"Great." Jacob mumbled to himself.

"Okay, you know what?" I snapped my head around to stare at the insolent fool, "What's your problem now? Because this shit really isn't helping anyone, least of all 'the people you love'. So tell me, what is your problem?"

"Everything! This whole thing sucks."

"You don't think I'm aware of that? I have had to live with what happened to my family _because of me_. Do you think, for one second, that I would ever wish that on another person?"

"Oh, woe is you-" Jacob started.

"Jake." Jared growled but was ignored.

"Your life was horrible, we get it. That doesn't mean that I am just going to accept you and all your shit, just because I pity you."

"I don't want your pity, Jacob. I want you to grow up and act like an Alpha. This isn't going to go away without work. Without bloodshed."

"Unification!" Xavion suddenly yelled and everyone looked at him, "Unification?"

"No, Xav. It's too late for that." I sighed but smiled at him to portray my gratitude towards his idea.

"Why?" Josh queried.

"Because, Stendahl may show up in the middle of it and then we'd be in a far worse position than we are now." I said and turned away from them, signifying that the conversation was over.

"What's unification?" Jared asked.

"It's a custom from my old pack, but as I said we don't have time for it."

"What is it?" Jacob growled and sat forward.

I stared back at him for a moment, "It's a ritual designed to unify the families. A way of sorting out the hierarchy and keeping the pack bonded. It was also done when new families moved into the town. It can't help now."

"What's involved?" Brady bubbled from behind Jared.

Randall interrupted and I have to say his intrusions were really starting to get on my nerves, "It's a series of skirmishes that leads to the appointment of a single Alpha. It's the system by which Gabby took ninth place in our hierarchy."

"So what... you win you move up a level?" Quil said with an enthusiastic spark lighting his eyes.

"It's a little more complicated than that, but yes. You win via submission. Submission is classified as leaving the Unification ring, actually submitting or by morphing back to human form."

"Phasing, Randy, they call it phasing." I muttered, not at all impressed with the idea of the others considering it.

"It sounds like a good idea." a booming voice sounded from the hall and we all looked up to find Sam standing in the door way.

Behind him were Seth and Embry, and behind them were nine terrified looking teenagers. They were clothed in old shirts and baggy shorts, most were about three sizes too small for the clothes they wore. The arms of the teenagers showed the same distinctive lean muscle and their faces were ever so similar to Sam's that I would have thought they were related somehow.

I cocked my head at the sight, as did almost everyone else.

Sam frowned, "Meet the newest recruits."


	63. Alpha or Beta?

_Gabby's POV_

Apparently I was the only one who thought the Unification Trial was a bad idea.

I had lied when I said I was worried that Stendahl would show up while we were doing it. It wasn't that at all. Stendahl would show up when Stendahl wanted to show up, the chances it would be during the Unification Trial were slim.

Randall figured out why I was against it and like the loving cousin that he is... argued that it was a great idea and helped arrange it.

The new shifters, all nine of them, had a go at it first. Sam thought this was better than having them watched the more experienced members and ending up either too afraid to compete or too self-confident and injuring one another. They sorted themselves out and then their number one wolf, Beau was able to try his hand against Philip.

Philip won, thankfully; I wouldn't want to be him if he'd lost. He had years of experience more than Beau and was larger and older too. Philip didn't get much further though but he was okay with his place at number twenty-two.

The matches had continued in a rather disorderly fashion until now. Now there was only four of us left to figure out who was Alpha. Myself, Jacob, Sam and, slightly surprisingly, Jared.

The last skirmish was Jared versus Randall and I had expected Randall to win. He had lost, quite quickly and I laughed in Randall's head, as a little get back for him agreeing to this crap.

'So, who's up next?' Jacob bubbled. He was enjoying these trials because so far, as with all four of us, he had yet to be beaten.

Unlike real world fights, these skirmishes were more about strengthening our positions within this one large pack. There was no proper infliction of injury, they were mock fights. Once a wolf starts to slip, both individuals knew and it was just a matter of how stubborn the 'slipping' wolf was.

'You.' Sam suggested as he watched Jared stretch out his long legs.

'Bring it on.'

Jacob's confidence was incredibly annoying. Especially since he won every fight and his clash with Jared was no different to the others. I hated seeing Jared knocked out of the Unification Ring, hated seeing him hang his head. I wanted Jared to be Omega more than Jacob, but there was a reason why Jacob was an Alpha and Jared a Beta.

'Who's up?' Jacob was serious this time and I was glad to hear that, his match against Jared had clearly sobered him of his over confidence.

'Me.' I growled before Sam could interject.

I so wanted to take Jacob down another peg; or at least stop him from climbing any higher.

Jacob flicked his gaze to me and I could see the excitement behind them, he wanted to take me on as much as I wanted him to. I heard Paul growl and figured that he had noticed it too. Jacob wasn't paying attention to anyone but me.

I stepped into the ring and steadied myself into a low crouch. Jacob dropped quickly into his own fight stance, standing a little taller than me in a pathetic attempt to make me look submissive from the start. I knew he looked down on me because of how the Aussies had all submitted without putting up a fight, and I was going to prove to him that they were the smart ones for not starting something they couldn't finish.

Jacob snapped at me.

I snarled back, my fur bristled and teeth displayed.

We started to circle one another.

Jacob rushed forward, his teeth bared and his ears pricked. He was beside me in half a second, trying to knock me down. It was a pity for him that I'd done this before because 'flash attacks' were all too obvious and easy to undermine.

His fur was soft between my teeth and he yelped as I plucked a chunk of hit from his white chest. He jumped back before his attack could do any real good, for him. As I said, easy to undermine.

The wolves that encircled the ring were jostling and bustling around the edge of the ring. I could hear their muffled thoughts as they argued amongst themselves. The three packs were, momentarily, becoming one and so all the members could hear one another. At the moment the voices of the non-Aussies were still weak but I knew they would become louder once titles were official.

Jacob was a highly offensive wolf, and I don't mean that I was insulted by him. He was 'proactive' in a fight, happier to get it over and done with than to watch his own back. I thought it was more impatience than enthusiasm, and I knew what impatience could do in a fight.

It wasn't good.

Jacob misjudged the speed of an attack and I was able to jump out of the way before he'd finished half the manoeuvre. It gave me a clean shot at his neck and with the contortion of his body made it all too easy to knock him down.

I heard the air rush from his lungs and in that one hard exhale I was able to stand above him. Pushing my jaws down against his neck and pinning him to the ground. He struggled for quite a while until it got through his head that I wasn't moving.

He submitted.

_**Paul's POV**_

I was thrilled when Jacob submitted. He'd been begging for a knock down recently and I loved seeing my Gabby be the one to give it to him.

She looked hot doing it too and it frustrated everyone but me. Mainly because everyone but me didn't want to think about her as 'hot'.

Now she was facing Sam and it was hard to describe what was going on in front of us.

'It's psychological.' Xavion's timid voice sounded between my ears, 'It's how most Alpha fights start. With a major stare down that can last for ages.' Xavion extended the 'ages' well past it's required length.

'Wayne was in one against Ewan that lasted more than half an hour, the stare down that was. It ended when Wayne got bored and started the physical fight.' Randy explained, 'Ewan was a cool guy, very tough. But Wayne was stronger.'

It hadn't been quite half an hour yet, it felt like ages but it had probably only been five minutes. It was just so slow; neither of them willing to make the first move as they cautiously circled one another.

I was conflicted over who I wanted to win.

I didn't want Gabby getting hurt if this turned physical but I loved the idea of her being Alpha of our conjoined packs. I didn't need to be part of her pack for her to be my Alpha, she could order me around where ever and whenever she wanted...

'Paul! There is a more than one shifter who's not yet thirteen.' Jared said seriously.

'Okay, settle down.'

At the same time I think I'd prefer if she wasn't Alpha. Sam was a strong wolf and a very good leader. So was Gabby, but Gabby was... well, mine and I didn't want to share her anymore than I already did. Being Alpha was a lot of work and took a lot of time out of an individual's day. I already hated how much time it took for her to handle four experienced shifters, I couldn't imagine how much work the nine newbies would take.

Sam growled at Gabby and I could tell by the shift in her stance that she was taunting him. Apart from the growl there was no real change in the situation. They were still circling each other with deliberate steps; occasionally one would pull their lips back to reveal their teeth in a silent threat.

'Gabby will submit.' Embry whispered to me and confusion radiated from my thoughts, 'She's strong willed but she doesn't really want this. She'll give in.'

'I hope so.' Jared said as he kept his eyes glued to the stare down in front of us, 'I have twenty bucks with the Aussies, each Aussie, that she'll be Beta, not Alpha.'

I wasn't surprised, 'You're lucky there's no legal gambling around here. Or you and Kim would be on the street already.'

'Hey! I'm not that bad.' Jared retorted and the conversation ended.

Gabby stopped circling, her posture changed. She dropped slightly lower than she had before, her tail drooping to touch the ground and her ears flicker back to press against her neck. She let out two small whines and then watched Sam without looking directly at him.

She submitted.


	64. No More Lies

_**Gabby's POV**_

I was happy being Beta.

Alpha wasn't as great as most people would think. Having people running to your side for advice, asking for permission; it all got really old, really quickly. Also, having the ability to order people around and know that they have to follow your will, while on occasion good for personal gain, is not good for a sense of unity between pack members. I couldn't be angry with someone and yell at them without having to double check my wording before hand, which makes anger alleviating spontaneous outbursts incredibly difficult.

Xavion was getting lessons from some of the newest 'recruits' on American football and I was sitting amongst the trees watching over them, just trying to enjoy the peace of my time off but failing to shift the unnerving atmosphere that had persisted since Stendahl's visit.

'We'll be alright.' Paul's voice rang in my head, as calming as a breeze through a wind chime.

Paul was on patrol somewhere to the south, I was acting as sentry by the beach. It was an easy job to have, sentry that is, all I needed to do was maintain a presence along the beach. Keeping an eye on the beach was not difficult, but keeping me sense around me to not zone out was. It was so beautiful and serene; the threat that was pressing on us just felt so out of place around such a marvellous scene.

'Be thankful you're not holding the north west.' Brady said, 'Old Mrs Chepi is baking and Oh. My. God. It smells so good.'

Brady's thinking of the food made it so I could smell and taste it myself and my stomach growled, 'Damn you, Brady. Now I'm hungry.'

Brady and Philip, who was patrolling the southern border, laughed and I could feel Paul smirking at me.

It was the day after the Unification Trial and I was surprised at my own ability to handle so many voices in my head. Patrol changes were the worst time, when for about an hour there was an extra five or six voices and everyone was trying to coordinate as quickly as possible. We were all spending the majority of our day on patrol, and by majority I'm talking about fourteen hours each. Leaving enough human time to sleep and eat enough to keep our bodies running on all cylinders for the next patrol.

'I'm still can't believe you.' Josh sighed. He was patrolling just south of where I was and his thoughts were stuck on yesterday's Trial, 'You totally just gave in to him.'

'You totally sound like an eleven year old girl.' I snapped back.

It was all Josh could think about. My submission to Sam yesterday, Sam knew that I had tried in the beginning but had then chosen to give in. More to the point, he agreed that it was actually the right thing to do, the _smart_ thing to do. I shouldn't be given command over the combined pack because my mind was compromised.

Not only were we waiting for a battle where the enemy would be lead by the monster that murdered my family but the monster was my father. And, just like my brother Embry, he had a direct link to my thoughts. There wasn't anything I could do that Stendahl wouldn't then be able to read and plan against. At least with Sam as Alpha he could command me not to think about any orders given in regards to anyone else, which he'd already done, in case Stendahl attacked before I saw Sam again.

It was a good idea but made my own planning a little difficult. I couldn't think about what others had been ordered to do which meant I couldn't plan my actions around them. Unfortunately, it was the only way.

'You'll be fine, Gabs.' Paul soothed.

'I have to be, don't I?'

'But you're more of an Alpha than Sam.' Josh whined as he followed the subtle scent of a shifter that had passed through more than a week ago.

'Sam is a good Alpha.' I said, trying to get the focus off me.

It didn't work, 'Yeah, but you're a _great_ Alpha.'

'No, I'm not. I'm just stoic enough to get shit done.'

'I'd follow you to the ends of the earth, Gob. You're a great Alpha.' Josh just wouldn't stop.

I physically groaned as I watched a surfer catch the first wave of the day, 'You followed Rhys. What does that say about you?'

'You dated him.' Josh thought before he could stop himself, 'I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it like that.'

'Shut up, Josh.' Paul growled, his displeasure clear to everyone on patrol.

Horror.

'Gabby!' Quil stuttered and I jumped to my feet.

I was unsure about leaving my post, I was the highest ranking wolf on patrol but I didn't feel right leaving my post. When the vision came through from Quil I knew that I couldn't not go, 'Brady. Head south a fraction, keep an eye on the beach. I'm coming Quil.'

'Should I call Sam? Should Jared come too?' Quil was dumbfounded, not that I was surprised under the circumstances.

Quil had been patrolling the northern border and it was clear he was wishing he hadn't gotten out of bed that morning. I wasn't sure exactly what he was seeing but from the flashes we got I knew it was bad.

When I got to him, Jared was already there and Sam was on his way too.

Hanging from a tree, with his toes missing the leafy forest floor by mere millimetres, was the tall, muscular man. He was hung up recently because he was still swinging and rotating on the rope. As he spun around to face me I got why Quil was so shocked by the sight.

It was a shifter hanging just inside the boundary.

Shifters weren't easy to kill. There was two ways, both were difficult. One was a large amount of smaller injuries that would take a while to heal, removing minor appendages, like an ear, and letting it bleed out. The other was a single massive injury, which is how this shifter died, a single wound like the one that had almost severed the shifter's head from his shoulders.

His blood had spilt down his front and been left to dry before he'd been brought to hang here. The scarlet fluid had coagulated and knotted the mass of hairs on his chest and a stained piece of paper had been stuck to the thickened blood. But it wasn't the note that I noticed.

It was his face. His hard pointed face covered in taut white skin, sickly white now that the blood had drained from it. The scars were more visible with the lack of blood, they hooked around his left eye and drew attention to his cold beady eyes and away from his missing right ear.

Ingemar.

I felt bad for him, only slightly though. It wasn't that I didn't think he deserved to die, I was happy that he was dead, but I knew that Ingemar had given up everything for Stendahl and Stendahl had taken it all. Now, after I had proven for a second time that he wasn't all that good at fighting, Stendahl had turned against him. The psychotic father who was supposed to love him, had killed him for nothing more than an ego dented by association.

Okay, I didn't really feel bad for Ingemar. I just felt that I would feel bad for someone else if they were in that situation. I would have been horrified if my dad had done that to me, but then again my dad hadn't been a psychopath.

'Focus, Gabby.' Sam scolded and my attention shot back to the shifter hanging before us.

Sam had just arrived at the scene and his thoughts were as disgusted as everyone else's. He moved closer to the body than the rest of us and watched it as the twist slowed and then reversed. He noticed the note and read it as it drifted past his face.

'_No more lies_.' Sam sighed and everyone turned to me, 'What does that mean?'

'It's Ingemar.' I said stupidly.

'We know that.' Sam growled, 'Stendahl said that you were lying to us. What are you lying about?'

I looked at Sam with desperation for a few moments, 'It's not lying per se. More like... not mentioning it.'

'Not mentioning what?' Sam was not impressed and I can't say I blamed him.

'I didn't know what I was doing. I never meant for it to happen... well, I did but I didn't. I wanted it to happen but I didn't want to be the one to do it...' I started thinking really fast, trying to keep away from the details.

'What happened?' Jared said as he watched me from the other side of the swinging corpse.

'Guys.' Randall sighed, 'Ease up.'

'No.' Sam barked, 'What happened?'

'I kind of... accidentally... but slightly intentionally... killed my half brother.' I grimaced at the memory and the sound of several confused thoughts.


	65. Murderer

_Gabby's POV_

You wouldn't think the question 'how' would be so difficult to answer, but the longer I stayed here the harder such a question gets.

Sam was staring me down, he was on the verge of using an Alpha command although I could hear how everyone was thinking, if it was Stendahl's son than they understood. I didn't like them thinking that; a life is still a life, no matter how depraved and despicable that life is.

'It was after the destruction of my town. I was alone and had no one to lean on, except myself. And a grieving person is not the most logical person to take advice from. I wanted revenge and I had no one to tell me that I didn't need it or that it was a bad idea.

'So I went looking for Stendahl, and I found him. But he didn't want to know me; he didn't care for me at that point. I yelled at him, stuff about an eye for an eye, and some other stuff to that extent. He said I needed to prove myself and shoved Brian towards me.

'Brian was in his late twenties, I think. He looked nothing like Stendahl but he acted like him. He walked like Stendahl and talked like Stendahl...

'I never meant for it to happen. I wanted it to be Stendahl, not Brian.

'He had me on the back foot for most of the fight, it was my first fight and he was larger than me. You guys haven't seen Stendahl, he's huge, larger than Sam. Brian was almost the same size as Stendahl.

'It was wet and muddy where we were. And Brian's size meant he was at a slight disadvantage in terms of surefootedness. He slipped and I knew it was my only chance.

'So I bit him. Just behind his head and across the back of his neck. I heard it crack, kind of like knuckles, and then... nothing.

'Brian was motionless. I was confused and shocked. I could barely believe that I'd done it, that I'd killed someone.

'Stendahl laughed. He started telling me...

'I ran. I wanted to die. I'd never thought I would be a murderer, even if it was because of someone who was involved in the deaths of so many of my family. I decided that that was a good reason to start living alone.

'I couldn't ruin anyone else's lives, and it worked for six and a half years. I was free to do as I liked without running the risk of others getting hurt. I was happy, or as happy as a lone female wolf can be. It worked.

'Until recently. Until I let go of everything that I'd held onto in terms of how to live my life. And look where it got me. Look where it got all of you.'

Have you ever heard thirteen people sigh at one time? It's loud and kind of disturbing.

'It's not your fault.' Paul smiled in my head but it didn't change anything, I was still a murderer.

'You are _not_ Stendahl.' Randall roared in my head.

I flinched.

'Randy's right. You're not him.' Sam sighed, 'Phase back Gabby; we need to talk.'

_**Sam's POV**_

Yesterday I'd have said that I couldn't imagine exactly how horrible Gabby's teenage years had been. Today, I found it that little bit more difficult.

In the months that we've known her I would never have thought her capable of murder, not that I really classified Brian's death as murder. It was more self-defence than murder. Brian almost certainly deserved what he got, he had killed her family.

"Why does it upset you so much?" I asked as we continued back towards the town.

"I killed someone."

"He killed your family."

Gabby sighed, "No. The shifters will attack but their main job is to protect Stendahl. They only attack when you get too close to Stendahl."

"They were still involved."

Gabby stopped walking and stared at me, "I wanted revenge. What I got was a guilty conscience. I wanted to kill Stendahl because it was Stendahl who killed my family. Brian... I'd never seen him before that day. I am just like Stendahl; the difference is that my conscience is still enough to stop me."

I growled. Gabby was a talented shifter and I knew she was well liked by everyone, bar Jacob, but her constant desire to blame herself... it was getting a little annoying, "You are not him."

"I am. Listen, I'm okay with it, most of the time. When that," she flung her arm behind her in the direction of the corpse, "is thrown in my face I feel a little sensitive but I can't go back. I can't stop them from dying. All I can do is look to the future and figure out some way to get to Stendahl."

"How do you do that?" Gabby looked confused, "How can you just push aside that self doubt and come across as being so confident?"

"Self doubt doesn't get you anywhere. We need to remain focused, they'll be time to whinge and moan once Stendahl is dead and buried. In numerous parts over different areas." Gabby kept walking and she looked as though she'd never had a second of insecurity in her entire life.

I had to agree with Josh. Gabby was more Alpha than I was. Gabby knew what to do, how to and when to do it. She could flick in and out of business mode like she was two people in one body and she always seemed to run of pure logic, thinking three moves ahead. If I knew how to play chess, she'd definitely beat me.

"Okay, so... is there anything that we should all keep in mind? What will help the most?" I figured this was the easiest way to change the subject. I didn't care that she'd killed one of Stendahl's men before, it wasn't like he was an innocent human.

"For vampires, bit by bit. It takes longer but it'll help get them out of the way without risking too many failed attacks. For the shifters, ears and tails."

"You are going to have to clarify the ear thing a bit. I get that ears can't grow back and they take time to heal but... ears?"

"Yes. Ears are made of cartilage and therefore easier to bite through, they are also fairly large and stick out from the head. You can go for the nose but you need to get a canine in just the right spot to cause an appropriate amount of damage. Also, if they still have them, dew claws. They hurt like hell and the bones are small and thin enough to be broken quite easily."

I looked at Gabby, trying to understand how she can remain so calm in saying this stuff, "How do you know all this?"

"Experience and Stendahl. Stendahl put it in my head about the nose but my fight with Brian taught me about the dew claws. He kept trying to get at them and broke the one on my left paw, thankfully not off because then I'd have lost my thumb." She looked to give me a thumbs up but I knew she was doing it to show me the thin pink scar that encircled it.

"When do you think he'll come back?"

It wasn't Gabby that answered my question.

It was a howl.

It was Quil.

_It_ was now.

_**Author's Note:**_

_**Okay, so this one was a little short but we're about to get into the good stuff. Hopefully I can make the next chapters enjoyable, it's not going to be a fight scene like what was in Breaking Dawn, no words are going to sort this shit out.**_

_**So, here goes...**_


	66. Final Chance

_**Gabby's POV**_

It took just under two minutes for us to gather at the northern border, looking down at the advancing army.

There were twenty five shifters on the front line; six of the newer shifters were left back at the town to watch over it. Sam was worried that Stendahl would have a two pronged attack, and it was a logical concern although I advised it was not likely. Stendahl would just bring enough back up to walk over us and into the town.

The army that was pacing towards us had to be at least a hundred strong and we felt so insignificant in comparison to them.

'Remember. Bit by bit, ears and tails. Fight through the burn and we can come out the other end of this.' Sam said in a tone that was cool and calm despite the fact that he was, internally, shitting himself.

There was a subtle breeze and the sickly sweet scent bit at my nostrils. The Cullens had arrived with their back up. I didn't feel quite as hopeless as I had moments before but unless their back up matched the numbers advancing on us then we hadn't really caught up.

'Thirty two.' Jacob thought, 'There are thirty two vampires backing us.'

The army was getting closer and everyone was tensing.

'Bit by bit, ears and tails.' I thought with careful deliberation, 'Bit by bit, ears and tails.'

Sam had ordered that no one cross the border until he gave them the word and everyone was pressed against the imaginary line, like teenage girls at the premier of some iconic pop culture movie.

My heart was pumping hard. My ears were ringing. My eyes fixed on the four fawn and grey wolves that lead the way. My body alert for the fight, while my mind started to numb to the thoughts of failure.

The four wolves stopped, about five hundred metres from us. Stendahl raised his tail.

'Ready...' Sam thought.

I could see Stendahl clearly from here, I could see the shine off his black eyes, the way his lips twitched towards a subtle smile. He was scanning our defensive line, looking for someone and I couldn't help but wonder whether it was me, Embry or Sam he was after.

His voice burst into my head and I could tell from the shock of both Embry and Sam that they heard him too, 'Are you regretting this now? Are you sorry you let her stay?'

Sam said nothing back, but neither me nor Embry could stop him from hearing our thoughts.

'Never. She's my sister.'

'Yes, but that won't stop me from ripping your throat out.'

Stendahl laughed.

His laugh was something from a horror movie. High pitched and witch-like, more of a cackle than a laugh. It was piercing, and all three of us, Sam, Embry and myself, withdrew from the sound that echoed through our heads. It was the sort of laugh that made babies cry uncontrollably for the next week.

'I take offence to that.' Stendahl snapped, 'Children love me.'

I snorted in derision. I had travelled the world and never heard a noise more horrifying and despicable than that laugh.

'Leave, Stendahl. Walk away before blood has to be shed.' Sam was in Alpha mode and nothing was going to shake him from it.

'Leave?' Stendahl scoffed, 'When it is so clear that I will win this one? You must be the worst Alpha in the history of shifting. Thinking I would walk away... fool.'

Stendahl was actually thinking a hell of a lot of more offensive curses, which made Embry very angry, but he only sent the word fool to Sam. I had gone from only hearing half a conversation between Sam and Jacob to hearing the same conversation twice between Sam and Stendahl. It was very annoying.

'We will not tell you again. Leave or be forced to leave.' Sam's voice was surprisingly powerful despite the anxieties echoing inside of him.

'You and what army?' Stendahl cackled, 'This is just one part of my army, I have a feeling that little company is all of yours.'

Sam was quiet but there was an undertone of concern that he wouldn't get through to Stendahl. He was doing surprisingly well at keeping himself looking strong and capable, despite the threat that was so clearly present.

'I don't normally do this but I will give you one more chance. Gabriella. Embry, is it? Yes, Embry. You could come with me now and we will put this town behind us.' Both Embry and I heard the hint of a lie in that and Stendahl didn't miss a beat, 'Well, maybe not the whole town.'

Stendahl swept his gaze across the pack, his thoughts a jumble of foreign words. I figure he was looking for Paul, trying to pick him out of the mass of wolves. He knew Paul wasn't a dingo or a fox because he knew the Aussies, I could read that in his thoughts.

I was glad that I didn't know where exactly Paul was, it meant that I couldn't give it away.

'Which one is he, Gabriella?' Stendahl smirked and I knew exactly who he was talking about but made sure I didn't flinch, 'Come on, _Gabby_. I want to see the shifter whose trying to steal you from me.'

'I was never yours so he can't have stolen me from you.' I said with definite certainty.

Stendahl ignored me and sighed, 'Paul... Paul... You know, Paul is a very dull name... what's his surname?'

Embry didn't mean to think it, it's the curse of being asked a question by someone who can read your mind. In order to know what not to say, you first have to think of what it is you don't want to say.

'Paul Lahote...' Stendahl thought over the name in a language that I didn't know, 'Well, I guess you could have chosen worse.'

Again I was annoyed by the thought that he was judging me. He had no right to judge me. Not after everything he had done.

'Enough about Gabriella. Neither she nor Embry will go with you, but you will leave. Please, go now.' It was clear that Sam was trying to be polite but no matter how hard he tried, or how may polite words or phrases he used, he didn't sound polite.

Stendahl's attention flicked back to Sam, 'Impatience is not helpful. Especially when you're fighting, you should learn to control that.'

'You are just wasting time. Either turn around and leave or we will make you.' Sam repeated himself.

'I can't wait to see you try.' Stendahl sneered and his tail dropped.

The vampires behind him surged forward, splitting momentarily in to two groups as they passed the motionless Stendahl and his sons, like water around a rock.

'GO!' Sam roared and as one the pack and the vampires broke through the imaginary line that was the border of the La Push pack territory.

This was it.


	67. Abducted

**_Gabby's POV_**

Fighting is never quite as you expect it to be. It's everything mixed into one and yet it was nothing but fighting.

Time flies and crawls. Pain is both intense and dull. The ground is soft enough for your feet to dig in without effort and hard enough to feel like it could break your bones if you tripped. There were thousands of the enemy but there also never seemed to be more than one that counted. You were deaf to everything even though your hearing had never been better. You saw everything around you while never seeing past the person directly in front of you.

The presence of these feelings was like being pushed back almost seven years. Only now I was in the forest instead of a town. It was early morning not early evening. A warm winter not a cold summer.

The comparisons were ever so slightly numbing.

It was unnerving to watch vampires streaming past me, towards the oncoming army. I hadn't minded the Cullens when they stood behind me but when they ran past me I felt a surge in my desire to attack them. Years of hatred are not easy to suppress.

Thankfully, in a strangely morbid way, I didn't have to wait all that long.

Soon after the vampires surpassed us they met with the enemy. And a second later we were there. Amongst the fray. I kind of liked it.

A vampire came straight at me. She had long blonde hair and a jagged face, her cherry red eyes bore straight into me and I knew she was going to be my first kill.

She was clearly unfamiliar with fighting as she went for an obvious kill, my jugular. I opened my mouth, wrapped my jaws around her chin and clenched. Her arms reached out to grab a hold of me. A quick shake and her jaw and neck shattered, causing her cranium to fall away from the body. Her body slumped down onto her outstretched arms and I continued straight past her as if she had always been lying there.

A one-armed vampire stumbled past me and I grabbed at it's remaining limb. I wretched my neck in the opposite direction to the vampires current path, the vampire lurched to the side. Then, with a rough jerk of my head, it was flying over the rest of the pack and out of the dispute. Half way across Randall lunged from the melee to grasp the vampires head and rip it off.

Hands gripped my tail. Hard, cold hands.

I didn't have time to look around at my assailant as another vampire was storming towards my head.

Seth scooted past, seizing the vamps leg. The vampire over balanced, his head and arms shooting out in front of him. Within my reach. I grabbed his arms and, with Seth pulling in the other direction and Xavion charging through the vampires torso, he tore into several large chunks.

I kept a hold of the arms as I was pulled backwards. I tried flinging the upper torso, that hung from the arms, at whoever was pulling me away but it only worked in pausing my removal from the situation.

One of the Cullens, the oldest female, ran towards me. She jumped over my head and I felt her land beside my tail.

My focus was diverted to the vampire that had its filthy hands wrapped around Embry's tail. I lunged at it, jerking the vampire on my tail with me, fastening my teeth around the back of its skull. A little bit of pressure and the skull crushed. The vampire released Embry and he disappeared back into the dark depths of the fight.

The vampire was no longer holding my tail and I turned to see what was around us.

There were vampires hanging away from the mass of the fighting, in small groups that were most likely analogous to their pathetic little clans. They were a single army but they were not united, they were fractured by their own nature. If we were lucky, the fracturing would spell the end of their army.

I charged at the group closest to me, knowing it was risky but unable to stop myself.

Three vampires darted out of the way leaving the fourth and smallest to defend itself. Which it didn't do well, as I was swiftly able to get my mouth around its face and crush the bone that gave it structure.

One of the vampires that had jumped out of the way hollered as it threw itself at me. Catching my tail in its grip and pulling away from me with such ferocity that I heard a small jolt as two vertebrae popped slightly apart. It wasn't as bad as a break but there was a shiver of pain that ran up my spine.

I turned to that vampire and another caught me ears, pulling my head back and up to expose my neck. The third vampire was at my throat within the next breath and grinning at me with its disgustingly white teeth.

This was not good.

The third vampire was ripped away from me by another big hulking vampire with dark hair, and the second vamp was pulled from my head, although its grip held tight for long enough that when it finally let go my ears were throbbing and ringing. I turned back to the last vampire and it hissed defensively.

I took the chance at folding in on myself at snapping at the vampire. It was a risk because it left my one side overly exposed; I would not have done it if I were closer to the main skirmish.

The vampire was always, literally, one step ahead of me. I couldn't get close enough to catch any part of him. And he was laughing at me, which only made me angrier. But no matter how angry I got, I couldn't reach far enough behind me.

So I found myself turning in a circle a few too many times, my vision was starting to flux. I stopped and went to turn in the other direction. As I turned something grasped at my head and I lost sight in my left eye. A vampire was draped around my head, its torso blocking my vision.

I let out a long growl and tried to shake the vamp off but before I could finish one full shake there were hands around my left hind leg. I tried to kick the hands away but more grabbed my right hind leg. My rear was off the ground now and the vampires were working as one to haul me away.

'Randall!' I screamed and howled.

'Gabby!' Paul whined in my head but I knew he was too far away to help me.

Randall, I could see. He was a few strides away. He was dispatching of another vampire, he could get to me. Randall looked up at me and threw the dismembered head away as he charged forward.

He never got to me, as four vampires swamped him and started carrying him in the direction that I was being taken. Randall's eyes were wide as he watched me and I wondered where we were being taken.

'Randall?'

'I don't know. I can't see anything.'

'Gabby?' Paul cried.

'Stay Paul. I'll be fine.'

'No.' Paul was heading this way.

'Quil. Take over.' Sam growled and my hackles rose. Vampires were dragging him away too. None of it made sense; that we would be removed from the fight instead of slaughtered with our pack.

Jacob was snarling and snapping at the vampires carrying him. He kicked and bucked but couldn't get their grip from him.

It wasn't just us. Jared and Embry were also being held by them limbs and snatched from the fight. Suddenly it was making sense.

This was how I'd been taken to Stendahl the first time. We were being taken to Stendahl. And if I were as psychotic as him and in this current position it would be a very tempting thing to do. Removing the head of the snake, taking the Alpha's so that the pack would be uncoordinated. In the same breath taking the wolves he was interested in most, myself and Embry.

This was _very_ bad.


	68. Tears

_**Randall's POV**_

I was having flashbacks; like some old war veteran who hears a car backfire and jumps for cover.

The vampire hands around my legs, the arm that wrapped around my neck. All of it reminded me of being eighteen years old and having my arse hauled under my next door neighbour's house. I could feel the teeth slicing into my side even though I knew that there was no one there. I shivered and tried to shake myself free, but just like the other five times, it did nothing.

The vampires stopped and I looked around for some idea of what was going to happen next. I didn't like what I saw.

Three ochre and slate wolves stood shoulder to shoulder, all approximately the same size and all looking far too happy. They pulled their lips back to reveal yellowing teeth that made me feel a little sick. They clearly didn't brush anywhere near enough, or they weren't chewing their bones.

Sitting cross legged in front of them, was a disturbingly cheery Stendahl; in human form. He was wearing a bizarrely clean pair of leather pants and a button down shirt. I wondered where he'd hidden those clothes because he was a wolf when they had first shown up.

He laughed when he saw us and rocked back and forth a little before rolling onto his knees and then to his feet. He crossed his hands behind the small of his back, squared his shoulders and pushed out his chest.

"We'll give it a few moments until the others arrive, and then I think it's time for a family discussion." he laughed and I saw Gabby cringe.

The vampires were still holding Gabby backwards and I could hear from her thoughts that that upset her. Movement around us drew my attention away from Gabby and towards the new arrivals.

Sam. Jared. Jacob. Embry. And Paul, who I didn't remember being latched on to before but was now being controlled by six vampires.

Stendahl threw something at my feet and I tried to bite him. The three wolves that back him took offence to that and one of them clamped their jaws around my muzzle. It was a quick attack but it hurt like hell.

"I want you all to phase and get dressed. We need to talk." Stendahl continued around the half circle of shifters being contained by vampires, throwing clothes at the forepaws of the shifters.

Nobody listened to him, we all just stood and stared at the bastard.

"I will not ask again. Phase and get dressed." the humour was gone from his tone this time but still no one listened.

Stendahl waited, his patience slowly wearing down until...

"Fine!" he roared as he snatched something from his belt and strode over to Jared, whose eyes widened at Stendahl's approach. Jared tried to pull away but the vampires held him too tightly and Stendahl grabbed at his muzzle. I could feel how much the grip hurt through the pack bond, but it was nothing compared to the pain as a cold metal blade carved a deep gash into his shoulder.

'Phase.' Gabby demanded before her mind disappeared from the circuit. I could feel the confusion of the wolves not witnessing this scene.

'Keep fighting.' Sam order the shifters that weren't here before his mind dropped out too.

I was hesitant but I complied.

It was annoying that the vampires didn't lose their grip, even when I struggled against them during the phase. They laughed at me as two of them held out my shorts to dress me. I felt like an invalid as they forced me into the shorts, pulling them up so high that I found myself coughing and spluttering while they laughed.

Jared was gasping and groaning as blood trickled down his chest from the wound on his shoulder. Even for a shifter that looked nasty and I wouldn't have been surprised if it scarred, permanently.

"Now, that is much better." Stendahl smiled again and I found it made me angry to see.

One of his three bodyguards, his sons, walked up to Sam and growled. It was a blatant attempt at scaring and teasing Sam, a desperate cry for attention. Sam's eyes narrowed and he strained against the vampires holding him back.

"Step back, Sergei. You're acting like a child." Stendahl growled and the wolf moved away from Sam.

He looked up at Embry and smiled. Embry squared his shoulders and refused to turn away from Stendahl. Stendahl stepped up in front of Embry, barely an arm's length from him.

"It's so nice to meet you, my boy." Stendahl said with what sounded like sincere pleasure but I knew it couldn't be, "I didn't get to ask you, personally. Are you a smart boy?"

Embry stared back at Stendahl, obviously trying to prove that Stendahl wasn't going to get anything from him that easily. Stendahl waited, his patience didn't last as long as it did the last time and he lifted the knife to scrape it against Embry's jaw line.

"I expect an answer for every question I ask you." he turned away from Embry towards Paul and Jacob, he seemed to be unsure of who to go to.

Stendahl looked back at Embry and pointed the knife at Paul. Then he pointed it at Jacob. Then back to Paul. And back to Jacob. Stendahl shrugged, pulled his arm back and then threw the knife. It bounced off Jacob's thigh and fell with a clatter. In its bounce it had sliced a clean vertical slice into Jacob's leg, which bled quite freely for a few minutes.

"Next time, I'll lodge it in his spine." Stendahl snarled.

"Yes." Embry grunted, "I think I'm smart."

"Well, let's see if you are. Join me and I'll let you little friends go."

Embry looked to Gabby, who looked appalled at the mere thought that Stendahl was asking Embry that question. She stared back at Embry and I could tell what she was saying, I hoped Embry could too. Stendahl was lying; he had no interest in letting anyone go.

Stendahl strode over to Jacob and picked up the knife, "Answer me!"

"I'll never join you." Embry said with a straight face, not a hint of hesitation.

Stendahl looked genuinely pissed off about this. He pushed a vampire, the one standing to Jacob's right, out of the way and raised the blade to Jacob's hip. The blade was so sharp that it barely seemed to touch the skin but as it moved blood welled and the gash formed.

Jacob hissed in a long breath and the muscles tightened around his face, adding hard edges to his normally soft features. As Stendahl pulled the blade away, Jacob grunted and muttered to himself. His eyes pinned shut and his mouth gaping wide.

"I'm very sad to hear that. But I'll give you another chance. Later." Stendahl turned to Gabby, focusing on her like a preteen boy to a video game. He smiled at her, his eyes actually shimmering as he approached. He reached out to touch her cheek and Gabby recoiled.

She was not impressed by his obsession with her, and I didn't need a psychic connection to know that she was envisioning his skull crushing between her teeth.

"My pretty little baby girl." he crooned and even I cringed at that. He leant in close to her, almost resting his forehead against hers, "I never stopped thinking about you. Who else can claim that?"

Gabby spat on the ground next to Stendahl's bare feet. I smiled. Even to the man that she hated more than anything else in this world, she couldn't suppress the manners her mother had taught her, she couldn't spit _on_ him.

Stendahl looked disgusted that she would spit in front of him, "That was not polite."

"It's as polite as anything you're going to get from me." she snarled but didn't look at him.

Stendahl sighed, "When will you see that I do this not just for me, but for you too? I do this for all my children." He glanced at Embry, before casting his gaze back to Gabby and breathing in deeply, "So, which one is he?"

Gabby didn't say anything.

"Paul." Stendahl sighed and took another deep breath, "I'll find him without your assistance, but if I do it will be so much worse for him."

"Why do you care?" Gabby growled.

"Because you're _my_ daughter. You don't want to leave him so I want to talk to him, man to man. He should be asking my permission to be with you anyway. How many times has he been with you without seeking my permission?" Stendahl said.

Gabby looked like she was going to be sick, like the thought of telling him was too much for her normally solid constitution.

"I'll find him myself then, should I?" Stendahl pulled Gabby's head down to sniff her scalp, then pushed away from her like he were a swimmer and she was the wall at the end of a pool.

He went to Jared first, pulling and poking to find somewhere to sniff at, "Not this one."

"Nor this one." he growled with impatience as he finished doing to Sam what he did to Jared.

He grabbed Jacob roughly and pulled him forward, Jacob gasped as he put pressure through his right leg and the muscles around the gashes strained. Stendahl sucked in a single long breath and then pushed Jacob back.

Stendahl adjusted his grip on the knife and looked at Gabby, "Well, I know Embry isn't Paul, that's just illogical. And _him_," he pointed to me as he moved away from Jacob, "He's a dingo, one I remember from Australia. His name isn't Paul."

Stendahl swung his arm and the blade secured itself in Paul's shoulder, just below his left clavicle. Paul grunted and as Stendahl removed his hand the blade stayed firmly placed in his warm flesh. Gabby looked horrified and I thought she was about to vomit.

"You're lucky I didn't cut your hands off." Stendahl snarled in Paul's ear.

Paul stared at Gabby, his eyes pleading with her not to give in to Stendahl. He was strong, stronger than I'd ever given him credit for. He would stand there, with that blade penetrating his shoulder, and he'd do it silently, just for Gabby.

Stendahl stormed back to Gabby, leaving the knife in Paul's shoulder.

"You are _my_ daughter. He did not have the right to defile you; I don't care if he's a Quileute shifter." Stendahl snapped and raised his hand as if to strike Gabby.

She didn't flinch. She just stared him in the face, as stoic as ever.

It seemed to soften Stendahl and he dropped his hand. He smirked and pressed his forehead against Gabby's. She tried to pull away but she had limited movement. Stendahl took yet another deep breath and smiled. He moved his head to whisper in her ear and Gabby lost the colour from her face.

Stendahl stepped back, still beaming at Gabby.

"You have to believe me." Stendahl said loudly, "I am not an evil man. I just want what's best for my progeny. I can provide you and you," he turned to Embry, "with everything that you need. I can make you strong, make you successful. You'll have everything you need."

"We have that already." Embry growled and gulped.

"But that's not certain." Stendahl stared at Gabby, "Look what _family_ did to you last time. You needed them and they didn't just watch you leave, they made you leave. What do you think they'll do this time? These people. They aren't family, what will they do to you?"

Gabby looked up at Stendahl and I could barely believe it. I'd known Gabby since shortly after her birth, I'd grown up with her; she was more like a sister than a cousin. In the sixteen years that I had lived close to her, in the twenty two years that I had known of her, not once had I seen her like this.

Her mother was killed by her dad. Her dad committed suicide. Her _father_ killed her remaining family, bar me. She'd lived alone for years, which went against her own nature. She brought this horror on people who she'd come to love, something she hated to think about. But never had I seen her like this.

Never had I actually seen her cry.


	69. Hurting for a Cause

_Paul's POV_

I wanted to kill him.

Stendahl had made Gabby cry and I wanted to kill him because of it. I didn't know what he'd said but I knew it had to be bad, Gabby didn't cry for no reason. She wasn't that sort of person.

I strained against the vamps holding me. The blade in my shoulder twitched as my muscles moved, it hurt, but I didn't care. I kept straining and the vampires started to laugh. I kicked at the one holding my left foot and he fell backwards.

The laughing seemed to swing from me to him and I heard him growl. He gripped my foot again and pulled it back. His teeth dug into my lower calf and I couldn't help but cry out.

"Would you settle him down?" Stendahl barked at the vampires holding me and their grips tightened.

Stendahl sighed and turned to Embry, "Look what happened to Gabriella. She had blood family that didn't want her after I left. Do you really think that these... Quileutes will think of you differently? You're not a Quileute, you're not related to any of them. How long will it take for them to send you away?"

"They are my brothers." Embry said with conviction.

"Gabriella had a sister, Jillian. They were related by blood. Still, Jillian didn't want to know her. Blood meant nothing." Stendahl growled.

Embry looked up at Stendahl, "I am not Gabriella. They are not Jillian."

Stendahl laughed, "Okay, let me put it this way... I can give you everything. We'll find your imprint and you can have children. Be a part of my pack and be a supreme male. Dominate these weaklings."

"They are not weak." Embry snarled and strained against his captors.

I looked back at Gabby and she was staring at me. Her eyes transfixed on the hole in my shoulder. She was still crying and had no way to wipe the tears from her face, so they streaked her dirt stained face with paths of pale white. I could see the shimmer of her eyes that made her ochre irises look like pools of molten gold.

"Are you really going to keep fighting me?"

Embry smiled, it was a look of great defiance, "Are you going to give me a reason not to?"

Stendahl seemed to lose it. He stomped back to me and grabbed the handle of the knife. He smiled at me as he pulled it out. He twisted the blade slightly and I felt air seep into the gash. I had never felt anything quite like it. The vampire venom pulsing around my lower leg was nothing compared to the sting in my shoulder.

My blood dripped from the blade and Stendahl wiped it on his pants. He knelt down in front of Embry and pulled down the left side of his shorts. He took the tip of the blade and pressed it against Embry's left hip. He moved the blade slowly and deliberately scratching the outline of a large circle into Embry's flesh.

Gabby gasped and started to yell, "Stop! Stop! I'll do it!"

Everyone looked straight at Gabby. Shock was so prevalent that I could almost feel it like a physical entity around me. I knew what she was doing, at least, I thought I did.

"You'll do what?"

"I'll go with you. I'll leave Paul." Despite my certainty that she didn't mean any of it, that still hurt.

"You'll give up your imprint?" Stendahl smiled as he returned to Gabby's side, the vampires moving out of his way without relaxing their grip.

"He's not really my imprint. He imprinted on someone else, before he met me. If my sister and my grandparents could abandon me than why would the shifter who left his imprint want to stay with me?"

"Gabby!" I couldn't stop myself from gasping. She had to be lying. She had to know that I was in love with her. I was devoted to her. I'd die for her and she had to know that.

"Would you kill him?" Stendahl walked around behind Gabby, resting his hand gently on her shoulder as he leant in to speak into her ear.

Gabby looked shocked, "Wouldn't it be enough for me to go with you?"

"But he'll come looking for you. He is a strong one, a handsome one. You've done well getting an imprint from him, but he'll likely come after you."

A growl rumbled from Gabby's throat, "You know better than anyone that I can make sure he can't follow me, and as I said, he's not my imprint. Or if he is than it's not a mutual thing."

She had to be lying. This was a bluff to get Stendahl on side, it had to be. She loved me as much as I loved her. She'd always said she did, she wouldn't have lied to me.

Stendahl smiled and stepped away from Gabby. He walked around to her front and stood there watching her, "Say that again. That you don't love him."

Gabby looked confused, "I don't love him."

It was painful to hear that. I was certain she was lying but every time she said it, it hurt more to hear. The pain in my shoulder was nothing compared to the stabbing pain in my chest every time she implied that she didn't love me or I didn't love her.

Stendahl turned to me, "How does that feel? Say it again, Gabriella."

A smile spread across his face as he waited for Gabby to say the words that cut me more than the knife had.

"I..." Gabby gulped and Stendahl flashed a frown for a fraction of a second, "don't love Paul Lahote."

I don't know what my face looked like but Stendahl found it funny. He cackled his disturbing laugh and had to hold his own stomach for his laughing. Over his shoulder I saw Gabby cringe and I questioned, momentarily, if it was the sound of Stendahl's laugh or the fact that she'd just said she didn't love me. I hoped it was for the second reason and most of me believed it was, but my moment of doubt threw me into another moment of doubt.

"Then kill him." Stendahl said simply as he held out the knife for Gabby.

One of the vampires let go of her right hand and Gabby reached out for the blade. My heart ached a little. She adjusted her grip to make herself more comfortable and my chest tightened.

Stendahl stepped away and Gabby looked at the knife for a few seconds. She seemed to be considering her options, trying to evaluate what it meant to have the blade in her grip.

She flung her right hand towards the vampire that had just released her. Her fist connected and the vampire stumbled back. She proceeded to stab at the vampire still holding her left hand, the blade sinking into the skull through the eye socket.

The first vampire tore Gabby's hand away from the blade and another vampire dropped from the tree above Gabby to replace the one that was flailing around with a blade in its face.

Stendahl roared in exasperation as he yanked the blade from the vampires head. In a single fluid movement he whirled towards Gabby and, much like he had to me, plunged the blade into Gabby's soft torso.

Gabby struggled to take a single breath. Her feeble attempts coming out as short, sharp gasps. She looked at me and her eyes were soft with concern. She was apologising and my heart faltered. Blood dripped from the corner of her mouth as her breath continued to catch and stutter. She started to choke, blood flying from her mouth like scarlet spittle.

Stendahl pulled the blade out and blood gushed from the wound below her right breast.


	70. Father

_**Embry's POV**_

That was my father.

It made me sick.

My father had not only started a war with my pack but was now singling out specific members to torture. He was revelling in the pain he was causing them, but at the moment his enjoyment was focused on Gabby.

He twirled the knife around his hand, flicking Gabby's blood from the blade. Some drops landed on Gabby's face, one landed on Jared, who was directly opposite her and he flinched away from it with a growl.

"That pathetic excuse for a father should have taught you better." Stendahl said as he fastened his grip and plunged the knife back into Gabby.

Everyone gasped as Gabby spat up a mouth full of blood. It turned her chin crimson and a thin torrent of blood dribbled from the point. Her eyes were wide as she coughed up more blood.

Stendahl pulled the blade out and the gash gushed more blood down her front. He laughed.

My father was torturing my sister and he thought it was funny.

A scuffle caught my eye and I turned slightly to see Paul pulling against his icy captures. He was doing well too, the vampires holding his arms were now holding their own heads and groping at his arms with a single hand. But the vampires at his feet were as securely attached as ever and it didn't take long for the others to regain their composure. Paul was constrained again.

Stendahl noticed too and he laughed louder.

"Isn't that just so sweet?" Stendahl stepped closer to Gabby, grabbing her hair and pulling her, now limp, head up so they were both looking at Paul, "He really wants to hurt me. Do you want him to hurt me?"

Gabby had lost just about all the colour from her face. Underneath the layer of blood, her lips were blue and the red flecks that Stendahl had flicked at her stood out like rubies scattered in the snow. Her normally golden eyes were a dull sepia tone and despite the direction of her gaze I got the feeling she wasn't seeing much at all.

She portrayed no emotion as Stendahl taunted Paul. She had no energy; the only thing holding her head up was Stendahl's grip on her hair. She looked to be dying and my chest constricted as her pale magenta eyelids slid shut over her darkening eyes.

Stendahl literally kicked the vampires away from Gabby and looped an arm around her neck to keep her standing. Blood was still flowing down her right side, I could tell by the way the light reflected from its surface. Gabby's chest barely moved but she choked quietly as he held her up by her throat. Her legs had buckled and the only thing keeping her from the ground was the choke hold he had on her.

She looked dead; or at least like she was waiting on death's stoop for him to answer the door.

Paul roared at the vampires holding him and his body shook with his rage. The vampires holding him cringed and their arms tensed as they tried to hold onto him despite their desire to let him go. A violent shiver ran through him and he phased into his large grey wolf before anyone could tell him not to.

The vampires held on tightly, while several more dropped from the trees to steady his head. He snapped his jaws and threw his head back and forth, but nothing he did was able to shift the grip of his captors.

Without warning the vampires were on the attack again. They punched and kicked and bit and scratched. Anything to get us to bleed. Every vampire was suddenly furious and we were all at the mercy of the vampires holding us.

"Stop! Stop!" Stendahl bellowed and his three sons got to their feet to snarl at the chaos around them.

The vampires calmed down, although Randall and Sam had also phased by this point. Sam was whimpering as a vampire twisted his tail and I saw the kink that signified a break.

"I want them all to see this." Stendahl crooned as he pressed the blade to Gabby's neck, at the top of the scar left by the vampire who'd tried to drown Xav.

He ran the blade in a smooth circle around the scar. It took a few moments but eventually blood bubbled around the faint ring shaped cut. It was clear she was running out of blood, none of it making it past the hole in her chest.

Stendahl laughed, "_This_ is what happens to shifters who defy me. If any of you move, I'll just take longer."

The three sons stalked out of the semi-circle, their gaits were heavy and cumbersome in their comfort with this situation. It made me ill to think that they could be alright with what Stendahl was doing. Gabby was their sister, their baby sister. One of them had to have an issue with this.

As they settled down at the front of the half ring of shifters and vampires, I noticed that one did. His hackles were partially erect and his ears were laid flush with his neck. His chest expanded and contracted rapidly and he couldn't look at the scene before him.

Paul howled and my attention snapped back to Gabby. Blood was oozing from the ring carved into her neck and she was still being supported by Stendahl. Some of her hair was stuck in the blood on her chin and the blood was thickened to the point that it no longer dripped but welled at the point of her chin.

Stendahl scraped the back of the knife along Gabby's blood stained jaw line, scratching away the dried blood to reveal her death-toned skin. He was smiling at Paul as he did it but once he reached the point of her chin his eyes snapped to me.

My stomach churned as Stendahl removed his arm from Gabby's neck and she slumped to the ground. Paul whimpered painfully at the sight and Stendahl smiled broader, but his focus remained on me.

Stendahl stepped over Gabby, his bare toes catching under Gabby's ribs and she just rolled with his walk. She didn't move, not even an inch. Paul's whimpering just seemed to confirm it, but I refused to believe it. She'd come back from the dead once, she could do it again.

Stendahl was kneeling in front of me again, the blood coated knife held firmly in his right hand. He pressed the cutting edge of the blade to my left hip, his left hand pulling the skin taut and holding me still. The blade was sticky with the cold blood that coated the unforgiving metal and I cringed at the knowledge that most of that blood was Gabby's.

I can't describe what it was like to have the blade slice under my skin. It was sickening how easily the skin seemed to peel away before the edge of the blade even touched it. No words came out of my mouth, barely any sound made it into the night.

Hot blood welled and spilled down my leg. Somehow that feeling made me cry out. Somehow it made this all so real. I grunted as Stendahl adjusted the position of the blade, the feel of the icy metal against my exposed flesh was agonising, worse than putting ice on a burn.

When he finished he lifted the perfect circle of skin in front of my face. He was showing off what he had taken from me, personally I preferred it when it was still connected to my hip.

A wolf yelped and a commotion caught my eye. I turned to the mouth of the semicircle to find Stendahl's three sons on their feet and backing towards us, their hackles raised and their ears shifting rapidly from flat to erect. They weren't sure what to make of whatever it was they were backing away from.

The forest that had been behind them was void of anything that looked in the slightest bit scary but now that my attention was on my surroundings I could hear it.

The sound of hundreds of feet, padding softly through the open forest. There was no sign of what or who was making that noise but whatever or whoever it was was approaching fast. I didn't have to wait long for an answer. As the noise grew Stendahl began to tense, he scrambled back towards Gabby but never made it to her.

A large white dog seemed to appear out of nowhere, flanked by a large collection of dingoes and a type of dog I had never seen before.


	71. Pop!

_Embry's POV_

The unfamiliar dogs were thin and lanky. They had black muzzles and tan brows, with large Mickey Mouse ears. They all looked near identical in their faces and it made it impossible to count them.

The vampires hissed, Stendahl growled and his sons tensed.

The white dog... the white dingo tore forward, leading the dingoes and lanky patchwork, Mickey-mouse-dogs towards us. The snowy dingo made straight for Stendahl, who phased and rose up to defend himself.

Despite the clear attack on Stendahl I was afraid of which side these shifters were on. They might not be with Stendahl but that didn't mean they were siding with us either.

The vampires released me and I phased the instant their hands were away from me. Which was a horrible idea. The pain in my hip was unbearable in wolf form and I couldn't do anything but phase back.

I remembered Gabby telling me how much it had hurt when Stendahl did it to her. It wasn't that I'd thought she was lying or over-exaggerating, I just never thought it would hurt quite as much as it did. In wolf form the exposed muscle folded in on itself and the feeling was indescribably painful.

The dingoes and patchwork dogs galloped past me, straight after the vampires.

Stendahl's sons rose up against the surging pack. They didn't last long as there were plenty of dogs enough to pull them down and tear them apart. It was a horrible sight and the sound was barf-worthy.

Something landed beside me and I looked up at the grinning vampire that had dropped down from the branches above me.

Before it could do anything a very red dingo flew in from the side and took the vampire off its feet.

I looked around, fully aware that I was the only one that wasn't in wolf form. Fully aware of just how vulnerable I was.

_**Gabby's POV**_

Shifters are never really dying. They're either alive or, at the most, seconds from death. There is never a true 'dying' phase. Why? Because of how fast we heal it means only injuries that can't be healed before bleeding out will actually risk our life.

Having said that... I was in a fuck load of pain.

For the last, God knows how many, minutes I had barely been able to breathe and losing blood at a significant rate. I know I passed out for a while because one moment I was being held up by Stendahl and the next I was lying flat on my back, staring at the steadily brightening sky and being hit with debris from hurried steps.

It took a few slow moments for me to get my bearings and even once I had them my brain was still too slow for me to react to anything. It was worse than waking up from a deep sleep, at least then I had some form of control.

Feeling came back; true feeling, not just the vague consciousness of my body's existence. With feeling came pain and the pain was strong; stronger than the relief that I was still alive. Stendahl's stabs had punctured my lungs and diaphragm, making breathing damn near impossible. The punctures had healed but that didn't mean the muscles weren't sore.

A loud growl resonated in my ears and I flinched to cover them. Someone was standing over me as I collected myself. The dark shadow that encompassed me was surprisingly calming and I relaxed in taking my time to get back what essentials were still missing. Like my own self awareness, I knew my legs were still connected but they somehow felt wrong.

I opened my eyes as the growl subsided and was greeted by the dirty white underbelly of a large grey wolf. Well, actually it was the lovely sight of furry wolf genitals but it didn't seem the time to be that fussy about how I was being protected. The wolf made a savage turn and in doing so he was able to move his feet without landing on me, which was fairly impressive. I could see a gap in the fur on his shoulder and knew who my protector was.

Paul.

I wanted to hug him but knew it was not appropriate so, instead, I phased.

Paul didn't waste any time, he jumped off me so that I could get to my feet. He didn't move away from me though and our sides pressed together as we inspected the fighting around us. I wondered where these other dogs had come from and if they were the enemy. But there was only one real enemy to me.

I couldn't see him close by but I could hear his foreign cursing in my head and knew exactly where I'd find him. With hard determination I turned away from Paul and headed south.

Stendahl was on the periphery of the fight, taking on a white dingo that I knew all too well. I was glad for the earlier blood loss because if I had all my faculties I was sure this dingo would have me so thrown that I would be worse than useless.

The white dingo copped a hard bite to the tail and yelped. Stendahl didn't release the bushy white appendage, he held tight and pulled away. When he finally let go the white dingo had too much momentum to stop himself and slid into a nearby tree. Three vampires dropped onto the dingo and he let out a short distress call as he started fighting them off.

I refocused on Stendahl, throwing myself at him before he had time to notice my presence. A small part of him was surprised that I'd gotten up and another was surprised that I was even alive. I used his shock to try and get myself the upper hand.

As I said, Stendahl was a massive wolf, larger than any other that I had met. Even Jacob, who was slightly larger than Sam, was no match for Stendahl in the height department. And Stendahl wasn't a thin wolf either, he had the muscle to back up his height and he used it well.

I pierced the skin on his neck and his voice laughed in my head, 'Is that the best you've got?'

My jaw clenched and I pulled away, tearing my teeth out of his muscular neck. He continued to laugh and I noticed that his was the only voice I could hear. I pushed that thought aside and snapped at Stendahl's neck again.

He mimicked my actions and we both caught hold of one another's necks. The ensuing struggle must have looked stupid as we both shook our heads in an attempt to injure the other. As far as I was concerned it would take a hell of a lot more than a simple bite to cause me _more_ pain.

My teeth penetrated his skin before his did and I threw myself backwards, tearing another hole in his neck and ending up with a mouthful of fur. I spat it out and went back in for another shot.

I don't know what Stendahl did but next thing I knew I was on my back and looking up at him, bearing down on me. His teeth gnashed together millimetres from my nose and I straightened my legs to push him further away from me. He jumped a little and the force of his landing made my elbows buckle. He snapped at my jaws at the same time that I snapped at his, our teeth collided and interlocked so forcefully that they seemed to jam together a little and some of mine moved in their sockets.

It was an uncomfortable position for both of us and we released our grips almost as soon as we'd fastened them.

Stendahl tried for another attack. He bounced up but before he came crashing down on me he was knocked sideways by a dark silver blur.

My teeth ached as I got to my feet to assess what had just happened.

Stendahl was standing a few metres from me, his attention focused slowly on the handsome grey wolf that had knocked his from me moments ago. He threw himself forward and Stendahl and Paul rolled away from me, locked together by their desire to kill one another. When they stopped rolling Stendahl was on top and trying to do to Paul what he was doing to me.

I breached the gap between myself and Stendahl and clamped my teeth around his surprisingly short tail. Stendahl swore in his native tongue and jumped away from Paul, who rushed to my side in a display of solidarity.

Stendahl laughed, his thoughts not portraying anything about what he intended to do.

He was waiting for us to make a move.

This was all up to Paul because I couldn't plan anything without Stendahl knowing it. Paul picked up on this in an instant but he wasn't happy about it. He didn't want to be responsible if it went wrong and I got hurt. But, more importantly, he wasn't sure how to man a two person attack.

I decided that a quick decision was the only option and in the same breath charged at Stendahl.

Stendahl reared up to fight me off. Until Paul was behind him and he had to watch his back.

'This isn't fair, _Gabby_.' Stendahl snarled and Paul launched an attack.

Stendahl was caught up in fending off Paul and I jumped forward, my jaws wrapping around the back of his neck. Stendahl pulled forward as I closed my jaws, my canines digging into the skin as he pulled away. Eventually they broke through the skin and I clenched a little harder.

My teeth pinched the vertebrae in his neck but nothing broke.

Stendahl's thoughts became panicked.

Paul grabbed Stendahl's muzzle and shook his head, pulling Stendahl's skull with him as he stepped back.

We both felt the pop but only I felt Stendahl's body slack.


	72. The Dead Shall Rise

_**Author's Note:  
**_

_**This chapter did not load properly the first time, don't know why...  
**_

_**But here's the actual chapter.  
**_

_**Gabby's POV**_

I didn't let go of Stendahl's neck for a few moments. I stared at Paul, who looked just as startled. He stepped forward and sniffed at Stendahl, whose weight was rapidly becoming too much for me to hold up.

'He's dead.' Paul sighed.

It wasn't until most of the voices stopped that I noticed they were there to begin with.

'Who's dead?' Sam demanded.

'Stendahl.' I said with nervous apprehension.

'Make sure.' Sam was in the middle of a laborious fight with a no-armed, one legged vampire and he was afraid to let his guard down.

I wasn't sure how to _make sure_. Everything felt like a bad dream. Killing Stendahl had been too easy. He was probably still alive, probably faking his death so that we would drop our guard.

But what could I do?

If I let go of Stendahl and he healed then he could attack again. If I didn't let go then my jaw would break. If he was dead, how would I convince myself of that? Before he was dead I had thought I'd hack him up and bury him in multiple locations, forgetting to take into account my distaste for post-mortem mutilation.

I bit back on my own disgust, one day I would forgive myself for this.

I lowered Stendahl's limp head to the ground, released my grip around his neck and adjusted my jaws to make sure my teeth would encase the vertebrae instead of just pinching on it. With one last deep breath I clenched the muscles in my cheeks to pull my jaws together.

Two more pops and nothing.

Stendahl didn't flinch.

He was dead.

Truly dead.

This was over.

'Not quite yet.' Sam growled, 'If he's dead than get your asses back here. There are still vamps to kill.'

I turned away from the body and raced to the major fight. Paul caught up in a second and ran very close to me. I could feel that he was happy I was alive but unsure if what I'd said was true or not. I was offended that he could believe I didn't love him.

'I lied.' I thought gently just before we entered the fray.

There weren't a lot of vampires left and finding them was made even more difficult by the presence of the Cullens and their friends. There were body parts scattered everywhere and strange dogs running through the chaos with as much purpose as the rest of us.

It was hard to find a single vampire in need of decapitation. I thought I had a few times but then found them to be one of the ones we were not supposed to hurt. I didn't know from looking at them, it was a feeling. Caused by an Alpha Command. Sam knew what each one looked like and had commanded us not to hurt them. As a result, even though I didn't know who they were I couldn't hurt them.

Mitchell was a few paces ahead of me, a vampire clinging to his back, with its fingers digging into Mitchell's eye socket.

I burst towards him. Shooting over his back, I caught the vampire by its head and twisted. The neck creaked and shattered, the head coming with me while the body stayed with Mitchell. He shook himself free and looked at me.

'Thanks, Gob.'

Then there was a chaotic confusion that settled on the pack. Everyone was looking for vampires to attack but no one could find anything. We were all amped up but had no way to discharge the energy and tension.

'Okay.' Sam said, 'Group the bodies. We burn them before any get the chance to rejoin.'

The energy went into piling the bodies. It was imperative that the bodies were burnt sooner rather than later. The fire was started when just a couple of body parts were gathered, Sam said it would be easier to add fuel to the fire than the burn that lot and hope no limbs connected before the flames got to them. Even the strangers who's thoughts we could not hear, were assisting in the clean up.

Paul and I were charged with retrieving Stendahl's body. Sam thought it was only fitting that Stendahl should burn with the monsters he was using to kill us. We headed off after half the bodies had been piled.

'This is what it's like to win.' I thought solemnly and heard a few shifters laugh.

'You're not used to winning?' Paul sounded like he didn't understand my awkwardness.

I sighed and tried to think of the words to express my feelings, 'I expected it to be harder. I thought it would take longer.'

Paul laughed, 'You almost died. How much harder can it get?'

'I just... never thought he'd be dead. It feels surreal.'

'Well, it is real. And once he's been cremated we can... you'll feel better.'

I nudged Paul gently as we stopped beside Stendahl's lifeless body.

'At least he's still here. I think I'd lose it if he was missing.' Paul laughed as he bent down and grabbed the scruff of Stendahl's neck.

I walked around to stand on the other side of Stendahl's tail, then gripped his shortened tail tightly and started towards the fire. Paul struggled to walk sideways as he held onto Stendahl's neck.

'We can stop so you can get a better grip, if you want?'

'I'm good.' he lied but I didn't have the heart to argue with him.

We set the body by the fire and several of the pack, who had phased back and gotten dressed, steadied themselves around it.

'Do you want to say something?' Sam asked, he seemed as uncertain about all of this as I felt.

'Burn, baby, burn?' I suggested and all those still in wolf form laughed.

Leah and the Aussies were huddled about a hundred metres from the fire, all centred around a whimpering Mitchell. I nudged Paul, who was still standing beside me, and he followed me as I made my way to them.

I could feel Mitchell's pain and it was very intense. Not vampire venom intense but rather severe break intense. Once I was standing in front of him I could see exactly what the problem was. His front right paw was swollen and shapeless.

'What happened?' I whispered as I lay in front of him and inspected his paw.

'A vampire stomped on it.' his pain was so intense that I could barely think of what to do.

I hated seeing any of the three young Aussies hurting. It may not be logical, it may not be fair on them, but every time I saw them it wasn't the shifter that I saw. It was the six or seven year old them. The ones whose lives were ruined because of me.

'We got revenge because of you. None of this is your fault.' Mitchell whimpered.

'Revenge.' I sighed.

'Gabriella?'

I froze at the sound.

My faculties had returned and the memory of him during the fight seemed so clear now. My insides squirmed as if trying to curl themselves into the smallest ball possible. There was a hole in my chest and a burning lump in my throat. My head ached and my eyes watered. Everything hurt and yet I felt nothing.

'Gabs..?'

I ignored Paul as I looked away from Mitchell. My breathing deepened as the anger built. I'd never felt like this before. Never been so angry and so horribly upset in my entire life, or at least, not at the same time. I clambered to my feet and turned towards the owner of the voice.

He stepped out of the dark shadows. His thick white fur was stained with blood and mud. The striking tangerine eyes bore into me and sparked greater anger in me. His dark apricot nose was bleeding and the sight of that made me slightly happier.

'Gabriella.'

That was it.

It was too much.

I attacked. Aiming my first bite at the soft flesh of his neck, just in front of the shoulder. If Stendahl _was_ my most hated person, this white dingo was officially taking his place.

He rolled to the side and my attack skimmed his fur, leaving him unscathed and me flying over his rolling body. I didn't fall but turned back towards him.

'Please stop, Gabriella.' he pleaded but I was not interested.

This time my teeth hit flesh and the feel of it made my jaw clench. He yelped and swung his head into mine, trying to push me off him. I tried to move with him but I was tired and tripped on my feet. I fell and the grip of my teeth failed and released him.

He backed away and I wanted to pursue him; but Paul got in my way.

'Gabby. He helped us.' Paul tried to explain but I still wasn't listening.

I shook my head and snapped at Paul in my anger, before turning and running away. I couldn't stay in his presence, if I did it was likely someone innocent would be hurt. Most likely by me. I couldn't let that happen.

'Please, Gala. Stay.'


	73. Justified

_Gabby's POV_

When I returned to the area of the vampire bonfire it was in human form. The pack had all phased back and they were standing in a large group near where Mitchell was situated when I'd left. Mitchell was in human form too, cradling a black, swollen arm.

I wanted to go to him but I was more concerned with the other group of humans standing twenty metres away, but not communicating in any way. The group was huddled closely together, with three men standing ever so slightly out from the majority of the mass.

One of them was a tall man with weather beaten skin and a head of dull, light brown hair. His shoulders were square and slightly hunched after years of manual labour and he had a series of connected tattoos that weaved their way around his shoulders like an ink shawl.

The sight of him made me angry. I could barely comprehend exactly how angry I felt because every time I thought I could qualify the anger something else would just make me angrier. His hand twitched and my anger spiked.

He shouldn't be standing there. He shouldn't be standing at all. If he couldn't stand than he shouldn't be twitching. Every movement he made had my anger flaring.

It hurt to see him.

Every wound that had been opened by his disappearance, but had healed with the slow passage of time, was now gaping again. It wasn't really a hole in my chest, it was a hollow. Like my heart had magically been removed and my body was desperately trying to find it. With every minute that passed, without the relocation of my heart, the hollow seemed to grow.

There was a burning lump caught in my throat. I felt as though I'd swallowed a white hot rock and indigestion was holding it in place half way up my throat. It made breathing painful, swallowing painful, everything was painful.

The more I hurt, the angrier I felt.

Sam shot out from _my_ pack and he did not look happy. Normally I would have humoured him willingly but I was not in the mood when that 'man' was standing so close. I glared at Sam, trying to display exactly how annoyed I was. Sam did not seem to care.

"What the hell was that about? They saved us and you just decide to attack their leader." I went to say something but Sam shushed me, "You better have a good reason for it."

Once again I was interrupted when I went to respond.

"She has a very good reason."

Sam turned around to look at the weather beaten man who was standing a few feet from us. Bile rose in my throat and I pushed past Sam. Several people gasped as my fist collided with his face, sending the weather beaten bastard stumbling backwards. Punching someone had never felt so good.

"Gabby!" Sam growled.

Paul jumped forward to place himself between me and the doubled over man, like he was afraid I was in danger somehow. I looked up at Paul and he smiled at me, although it was clear he was very confused.

"I can explain." the strong Australian accent made me angry and my grip tightened on Paul's forearms.

"Gabby," Paul whispered, "I kinda need my arms."

I saw him move behind Paul's shoulder, "Please?"

"No!" I snapped, "You don't get to do that!"

"Sorry."

"No! Seriously, stop it." I pushed Paul aside and let go of his arms, "Stop talking. I don't want to hear it. Whatever it is I don't want to know. You... You're dead to me. You've been dead to me for seven years and if I live for another seven hundred you'll still be dead to me then too." I yelled, my anger getting the best of me.

I'd thought I'd be able to come back and keep my cool. I'd hoped that Sam would have sent them away before this. I'd hoped I wouldn't have to see him again.

"I can explain." he said with a shaky voice.

"Explain! I don't want you to explain. I don't care what you have to say. You gave up every right, _every_ right to be heard when you left. When you abandoned me."

"I-" he started but I didn't let him finish.

"How? How can you do that? Just waltz in here and act like you deserve to say something? You can't do that. Seven years! I had no one for seven years and then you just show up, like you never left."

"And I am severely sorry."

"Sorry?" I gasped and Paul reached out for my hand, "That's all you have to say?"

"Who is he?" Paul whispered over my shoulder.

"I'm her d-"

"No!" I snarled to stop him from saying that word, "His name is Ewan Butler."

_**Randall's POV**_

I could barely believe it. I couldn't begin to imagine how Gabby felt.

When he'd burst from the darkness earlier this morning I had been shocked. I'd always liked Uncle Ew and would never have thought he would do something _that_... I didn't even know what to call it.

He'd faked his own death and left his daughter, alone. I understood that he could not have known that his parents would turn her away but I understood that Gabby wouldn't be concerned with that. After everything that had happened with Stendahl the first time round he should have sought her out.

I was sure he would have tried though. Ewan was a devoted father, I'm certain it would have near killed him to hear what had happened. But then, he would have gone looking for Gabby. Ewan was strong. Ewan was brave. He would have followed Gabby to the ends of the earth, but because of her lovely ability to evade being trailed he would not have been able to catch up.

God knew that Rhys had tried. For two years he tried and he was a far superior tracker than Uncle Ew. If Rhys couldn't find Gabby's trail and hold onto it long enough to find Gabby herself, there was no way Uncle Ew could have.

"I was trying to do the right thing." Ewan said as he tried to catch his daughter's eye.

She was making sure that he didn't succeed and she held Paul's hand tightly as she stared at her father's chest. I was hurt for Gabby, although clearly she didn't need helping in regards to her pain.

"Your mother was dead. Your sister, my daughter, she hated me. The whole town despised me and I could see what it was doing to you. Your boyfriend left you because of me. Your friends refused to spend any time with you. You were suspended from school for attacking a student.

"I thought if I left than you could live a normal life but I knew that leaving wouldn't be enough. I figured if everyone thought I was dead than... no one would mess with you. No one with a conscience, that is."

I couldn't help but feel that Ewan was kind of right in his justifications.

Rhys had dumped Gabby the day after Freyja had died. One of the neighbours had told all her friends that Freyja had died because of Gabby and a group of them shunned her, mainly the shifters. She'd then suffered through being teased by Rhys and his buddies and when Gabby retaliated, with violence, she was suspended for a week.

The ends justify the means. Right?

"Gabriella, please. I did it because I loved you. I tried to find you, after I heard about what happened... you have to believe that I was dying to find you. I found the Olanrewaju Pack and asked Tichaona for help." Ewan gestured to the tall man to his right, "He's the best tracker I've ever met, ten times better than Rhys. He couldn't even hold onto your trail, but I never stopped trying."

Gabby looked up at Ewan and released Paul's hand. She stepped towards Ewan and, in a move that surprised everyone, opened her arms to hug him. Ewan smiled and hugged her.

After a few awkward moments Gabby pushed him away and looked him in the eye.

"Please. Leave."


	74. Turn of the Tides

_**Gabby's POV**_

I was very thankful to Sam.

After I'd asked Ewan to leave, Sam had backed me up. He'd thanked the shifters that aided us, offered them a meal and their injured a place to stay while they healed. Ewan had conferred with who I assumed were the other Alpha's and they had declined Sam's offer of food and shelter. Most of them had left before us, but Ewan stayed to watch me go.

It was late afternoon and everyone had come back to town momentarily, before we all split up and did our own thing. Of course I'd stayed with Paul and we'd headed down to the beach. Now, we were sitting on an old grey log, staring out at the ocean.

It felt right now that there wasn't a heavy threat sitting on my shoulders; somehow everyone had survived and the worse injury was Mitchell's arm, which was crushed so badly even Doctor Bloodsucker hadn't being able to provide any assistance.

Paul hugged me closer to his side, "Do you want to talk about it?"

We'd been sitting in silence since we'd gotten here and part of me did want to talk about it. The other part wanted to push it down so far that pulling it back up would definitely kill me. I don't think there was actually a place like that but I was tempted to try and find it.

"It hurts." I said with a sigh and took a moment to get back a little composure, "He betrayed me. He lied to me. And it feels so much worse than what Stendahl did. I expected Stendahl to hurt me, but Ewan... he said he loved me; said he'd never let anything bad happen to me. I didn't expect him to lie."

I could tell that Paul wanted to say something but wasn't sure how to put it. I heard the sigh that signified he was halfway to starting but stopped at the last second. But eventually he built up the nerve.

"Don't kill me for saying this but... maybe he was trying to protect you."

I wasn't as angered by that as I thought I should be, "He did a shit job because he has hurt me more than ever. My chest feels hollow, my throat is blocked and burning, and breathing hurts. My muscles are sore and I feel sick to my stomach, I can't move without feeling like I'm going to vomit or break, or both. I just want to fall asleep and not wake up for a month."

Paul grunted in pain as he pulled me closer into him.

"When I see him, or hear him, I want to hurt him. I want to see him bleed and hear him cry. I want him to be in so much pain... and it scares me." My voice cracked but I couldn't stop talking, "The thought of him in pain makes me smile, it lessens my own pain. And I'm terrified."

"You are not him. You're not Stendahl. He hurt you because he liked hurting people. You're hurting and you want Ewan to realise just how much, it's understandable that you would feel that way. It doesn't make you a monster." Paul kissed the top of my head and a warmth washed over me.

I hugged my own stomach and sighed, "I felt so alone. To find out that he was alive this whole time... I wish he'd stayed dead. I wish he'd just left after the fight was over. Him staying was the cruellest thing he could have done. Particularly now."

"He saved us. He saved you. If you give it some time, I'm sure you'll come to... tolerate what he did. As you always say, 'what's done is done, it can't be undone'."

"I hate when you're the voice of reason." I moved my right hand from my stomach and wrapped it around Paul's waist. He laughed and tightened his hold on my shoulders.

"So... will you be staying? For good?" Paul whispered with his mouth pressed to my hair.

I sighed, "Let me sleep for a month first."

Paul laughed again as someone called out to us.

"Gabby! Paul!"

We looked down the beach to find Embry trotting towards us, a middle aged woman following him slowly. He smiled as he came to a stop a few metres from us. Embry smiled broadly and turned to gesture to the woman to hurry up.

She was a pretty woman. With long black hair that fell like a curtain of silk past her shoulders and a slight frame that took several years of her age. Her face was very similar to Embry's only more feminine, and it was clear she was his mother.

"Mom, this is Gabby. Gabby, this is my mom." Embry bubbled.

"Hello, sweetheart." Tiffany Call smiled as she stepped up beside her son, who towered over her five foot three frame.

"Hi, Mrs Call."

"It's Miss Call. Embry's told me a lot about you." she had a gorgeous smile, it made her look decades younger, "Boys, can I talk to her alone for a few moments?"

Paul looked down at me. I smiled up at him and nodded. He kissed my forehead and heaved himself up off the grey log. He laughed as he shoved Embry and the two boys walked back towards the town.

Tiffany Call sat down on the spot that Paul had just vacated.

She looked a little nervous and her feelings radiated to me to make me feel anxious.

"Does he know?" she suddenly asked.

"Who?" I acted stupid hoping she was just bluffing.

"Paul." I didn't say anything so after a few seconds she continued, "I've known Paul for a few years. He's a good guy."

"I know that. It's just... how do you know? I don't even know."

"I did it by myself. I know the signs." she smiled at me and I knew that if I was better with physical contact I would hug her.

I wasn't sure what to say. I was amazed that she knew; she was just human. Stendahl had known and he'd threatened me with it. The man was a genius at finding ways to scare a person.

'_What a combination.'_ he had whispered in my ear, _'To mix my blood with that of the Quileutes. Brilliance, that's what it is. You do me proud, Gabriella.'_

I wish I could say that I didn't believe him, but I knew, deep down, that he knew what he was saying. I believed him. I'd suspected it myself, felt it myself.

Miss Call seemed to notice my hesitance to talk about it and she changed topics slightly, "Embry said that you might be his sister."

"We believe it's so."

"I can kind of see it. You have Gunner's nose, it's a cute nose."

The idea that anyone could find anything of Stendahl's 'cute' made me feel a little queasy, "He had you call him Gunner?"

"It was his nickname. I'd wished I'd gotten more from him, when I found out I was pregnant..."

"You were better off without him. Embry is a good man, because of you. Gunvald Stendahl, he was not a real father. Embry is better off without him."

"You learnt his name?" Tiffany sounded sad at that thought.

"Yeah, when he showed up and ruined my life." I looked directly at Tiffany and she stared back, "Embry is a better man because you raised him yourself. I'm glad I can call Embry my brother."

Tiffany smiled, "Do you often call him your brother?"

"He is my brother." I said and noticed that the boys were on their way back. Paul smiling at me.

"Well, then... welcome to the family. Now, you need to talk to Paul. Embry might be better without his father, but Paul is not Gunner. And you know that." Tiffany stood up and stepped away from me as the boys reached us.

Paul quickly reclaimed his seat beside me and Embry hugged his mother. Smiles and greetings were exchanged before Tiffany and Embry started back along the beach.

Paul hugged me to his side again and we stared back out at the horizon.

The painful ache that had consumed me since the realisation that Ewan wasn't dead was dull now. It had been pushed aside by the anxious tension that Tiffany had planted in my stomach. As it grew the pain subsided although I knew that wouldn't last.

I looked up at Paul and found him smiling as he stared out at the ocean; his handsome face calm and serene in the late afternoon sun. Not in a million years did I ever think that I would find myself in a cliché romance movie scene like this. My life had never been this perfect.

So I may as well ruin it, right?

"Paul," I sighed and he looked towards me, still beaming, "I'm pregnant."


	75. New Family Old Family

_Paul's POV_

I was speechless.

This wasn't good news. This was brilliant news.

Brilliant but terrifying.

I had assumed that since she didn't get a regular period that we were fine, I'd never thought my timing would be so – bad didn't seem like the right word but it was the only one that made sense – bad that I'd get her pregnant within months of meeting her.

Not that it really changed anything.

I loved her to bits. Just as much, if not more, than I had loved Rachel. Maybe this wasn't imprinting, neither of us were sure about that, but it was just as good and just as strong.

Gabby being pregnant was terrifying because I'd never really considered being a father before. And while I wasn't really old fashioned I had kind of figured that I'd have married Gabby before we started planning a family.

Maybe I shouldn't have allowed my wolf so much freedom over the last few weeks.

Maybe it was because Gabby could get pregnant that my wolf had been so domineering. It was a slightly bizarre thought but maybe Gabby had been in heat... okay, push that aside because just thinking it is gross.

I smiled at Gabby and she just stared back.

"We're going to be parents." It wasn't really a statement or a question, it was... I was too excited to think of what it was.

Gabby said something but I hadn't heard it over my own screaming thoughts, "Pardon?"

"I said I'm sorry."

"Don't be. This is great news. The best news I've ever had. In fact, you have to stay now because there is no way you are going to take my child from me."

She smiled at me and I kissed her.

I pulled her to her feet and started leading her back to Sam's. I had to tell someone. I had to tell everyone. The entirety of Washington was going to know about this by midnight and the whole of the USA by the weekend.

Okay, maybe Gabby wouldn't like that... I'll keep it confined to the western seaboard.

We'd have to set up a nursery. I'd start that tomorrow. I'll make him a cradle with my own two hands. I have to be certain it will not fall apart on him.

Wait. I didn't know if it was a boy. What if it was a girl?

I'd spoil her rotten. Gabby will hate me but what choice do I have. She's my baby girl. I'll paint the room pink... actually, maybe not pink, that's a little too girly. I'll paint her room yellow, like sunshine because that's what she and Gabby are to me. And then I'll paint little flowers around the skirting boards. She has to have a favourite toy too, so I'll probably start collecting different ones right away, she has to have choices.

Now I'm getting carried away. It could be a boy.

I'll paint footballs and cars on the yellow walls. And his mobile will have stars and rockets so that he can become an astronaut when he grows up. I've got to make sure to get him some model cars and one of those remote control helicopters, those things are so cool.

What if she was pregnant with twins? Or triplets? What impact would being a shifter have on the pregnancy? I don't think I could handle twins let alone a litter of babies.

Shit, this is going to be expensive.

I'm going to have to get a serious job, or at least take up some more hours at the one that I have.

We arrived at Sam's house and Gabby's hand tensed in mine. I figured it was just nerves so I kept going. As I burst through into the kitchen I realised that it wasn't nerves it was repulsion. Probably at the smell of the man that was standing in front of me.

I turned back to Gabby but she was just staring at Ewan.

"Please, Gabriella, don't go. I swear that I will leave but I needed to talk to you. Explain some stuff to you." he pleaded and I could tell by the hard stare in Gabby's eyes that she didn't care what he wanted to explain, "It's not about me or what I did. I just need you to know some stuff that will make your life easier."

I looked at Sam, confused by the 'make your life easier' comment. Sam nodded and flicked his gaze to Gabby.

"I can't stay here. I can't look at him. Hear him. Smell him." she looked up at me and the pain in her eyes was like a knife to the heart, "I'm going home. Call me back when he's gone but before... just call me back, please."

"I think you might like to hear this Gabby." Jared said quickly before Gabby could leave the room, "You'll regret it if you leave."

Gabby froze for a moment before turning back to Jared, she glared at him and then said, "Fine. But I don't want some long convoluted story. Think K.I.S.S. Keep it simple, Stupid."

Ewan sighed, "Okay. Imprinting. It happens to all shifters but you were our first female and Wayne suspected it would be different for you so he held off telling you about it. I should have told you myself but... I'm sorry."

Gabby didn't look at all moved in any way, shape or form. She just looked pissed that Ewan was still standing in Sam's kitchen.

"I was advised of what is going on between you and Paul and I know you're confused. Paul has imprinted on you, it just might take a little while for the imprint to take hold. That's what I was just explaining." Ewan looked at Sam and then continued, "There isn't just one imprint out there. There are a couple for everyone but most shifters only ever meet the one.

"It's like two halves to a circle, you might have a hundred halves but once two of them are joined together the others are useless. Well, when we imprint we shut ourselves off from any other imprint that may come past because we don't need them.

"You had imprinted before. With Argos. Why do you think that you and that dog had such a strong loyalty to one another? It was a platonic imprint, where there would never be a sexualised component. I almost killed Rhys when I'd heard what he did and it almost killed me that I couldn't be there for you."

Gabby stopped breathing and I knew she was thinking of the dog that she'd loved from her childhood. She had spoken about him to me many times and I had on more than one occasion found myself jealous of him because it was obvious that Gabby had truly loved him.

Ewan continued, "When Rachel broke the bond by deciding to leave, it opened Paul up to find another of his imprints. You, his shifter imprint. There is one imprint for every shifter in every living humanoid species or companion species." Ewan was looking meekly at his feet now, "Wayne didn't want to tell you because... females don't imprint. They have to be imprinted upon. The fact that you and Randall have found your imprints in this one pack is quite amazing."

"Is there anything else?" Gabby snapped.

Ewan paused for a moment but when Gabby looked to be about to say something else he interrupted her, "I love you. All you have to do is call and I'll be here."

He made to leave the kitchen and Gabby stepped behind me and away from him as he passed, "Oh and Paul?" I looked at him with a hard stare, he had hurt Gabby and I couldn't forgive that, "Randall told me that you had the ring I'd meant to give to Freyja. If you want to do what's right," the look he gave me told me that he knew Gabby was pregnant, "then you can ask her with that ring. She loved that ring, said she wanted one just like it."

And with one last look at Gabby, who wasn't looking at him, he walked out the front door.

Everyone was silent for a few moments. Most of them just stared at me and Gabby in surprise. I wasn't sure why. I wasn't that surprised that I had imprinted, it felt different but it was even better than what I had with Rachel so... if Rachel was my imprint and she didn't make me feel this way than it didn't take a genius to figure out that what I had with Gabby was due to imprinting as well.

Sam seemed to grow impatient with the silence, "Was there a reason you came tearing in here like that?" He wasn't angry, just confused.

"Oh, yeah." I looked down at Gabby he stepped out from behind me to stand beside me, "Do you want to tell them?"

She shook her head.

"We're going to have a baby."


	76. Epilogue: Pack? Family? Same Damn Thing

Paul pressed his lips against mine, while his firm hands held my hips in place on the bench top. He pulled my waist closer to him and his excitement rubbed against my core. I kissed him harder as I groaned my pleasure.

A squawk sounded from down the hall and we froze. When the second, slightly longer cry sounded we pulled apart with a sigh.

"It's times like these that I miss globetrotting on my own." I laughed as I slid from the bench and headed towards the hall.

"What? And just leave us all alone." Paul said with mock insult.

"Well, really it's your fault so yes."

"Please, explain to me how that one works." he wrapped his arms around my waist from behind and rested his chin on my shoulder.

"This wouldn't have happened if I was alone. And I'm the one who had to actually go through the trauma while you stood there sighing in my ear. It's really only fair you bear some responsibility." I finished with a whisper as we entered the nursery.

Not two feet from us in a handmade cot was a tiny little bundle, eyes wide open and arms flailing with little coordination. His dark eyes found us and his mouth opened to let out another squawk.

Paul stepped forward and lifted him carefully from the bed, holding him outstretched before bringing him in close to cuddle him to Paul's chest. Paul turned to me, "How could you ever want to leave this?"

I put my hand behind Paul's neck and pulled him in for a soft kiss. Then turned my attention to the bundle in his arms, which we'd been careful not to crush in our kiss. I knew that at his age there wasn't a lot of comprehension of his environment but I was certain he knew exactly who we were.

"I'd never leave him. You, easy. Him, never." Paul nudged me with his shoulder and I smiled to myself, "It's especially difficult when he's not crying."

Someone knocked on the door and we both sighed at the distraction.

I answered the door as politely as I could, knowing that this person was dragging me away from the two most beautiful males in the world. It was Jared and Kim, who was herself rather pregnant now. I got how Tiffany had been able to pick it out so easily because even before Kim had told anyone there was something in my gut that told me the announcement was coming.

"Emily says everything's ready and Sam is sick of waiting." Jared beamed.

He hadn't stopped smiling since it was discovered that Kim was preggers and at three months pregnant they had been more prepared for the birth of their child than Paul and I had been during labour. I was happy for them but thoughts like this often made me feel weird because I'd never thought that I would be one to have them.

"Someone needs to tell Sam that patience is a virtue." I sighed as I picked up the nappy bag, sorry, diaper bag. Paul was at my side, when I stood up, with Takoda already settled in his sling.

Paul had said that since I was the one that had to give birth I could choose our son's name. It was surprisingly difficult because I wanted the perfect name, not just one that sounded good but one that fitted my beautiful little boy.

I had decided that since I didn't have anything traditional in my life I wanted a little tradition for my son so I gave him a Native American name. Takoda means friend to everyone and not only did I want him to be like that but I felt he already was. He had been born after a great time of turmoil and with the knowledge of his conception a lot of things had changed, for the better.

I felt that the name was perfect and Paul agreed.

Kim reached out to touch Kody's cheek and make 'baby noises' at him. I remembered being younger and thinking that was how you talked to babies, now I just thought it was stupid. But it made Kim smile so I let her be.

"Will he be staying the whole day?" she asked, her eyes twinkling as she looked at him.

We started down the front path to the road where Jared's Ute waited for us with the engine idling.

"Dad has babysitting duties this afternoon and then Ewan is taking him for the evening." Paul said as he pulled himself up into the tray.

Paul had been right. With time I was able to forgive Ewan for his actions. Once I'd calmed down properly, once everything was looking up again, I gave it some thought and realised that Ewan hadn't done much differently to me. I'd partially forgiven him and by Takoda's birth he was almost fully forgiven. Although I'd only recently been alright with him taking on solo babysitting duties.

It was nice having him back. Seeing the father that I had loved and been loved by... I remembered thinking that I'd do anything to get him back, when I thought he was dead. Once I found out he was alive I was willing to do anything to get rid of him. But now that I'd thought about it, I much rather having him back.

"Let me take Kody." Kim stretched out her hands, "He shouldn't be riding in the tray of a truck."

Paul handed Kody over and Kim brightened even more. She hugged him to her chest and was ever so careful getting into the car. Jared shook his head in mock disbelief as he took the vehicle out of park and reversed into the driveway so he could turn around.

I sat back against the rear of the cab and Paul sat down beside me. We drove very slowly to Sam and Emily's and I got the feeling that Kim was dictating the speed from the passenger seat. Paul pulled me into his usual sideways hug and I rested my head on his shoulder. Despite going so slow we may as well have walked, the drive to Sam's seemed to be over within an instant and we jumped out of the vehicle.

Paul gave me the sling, Kim gave me my baby and I settled him in the soft fabric as we made our way to Emily's front door.

I could hear people laughing and a very clear exclamation of 'finally' from inside and before we reached the door Sam and the other guys came surging through.

"Randy got here an hour ago. What took you so long?" Sam's smile stretched from ear to ear as he jumped down the steps.

"Unlike Randy I have an infant and a wife to take care of." I huffed at his comment, "Sorry, babe."

I looked down at the rings around my finger. Despite my anger at my Dad I had adored the engagement ring he'd bought for my mum and I had accepted when Paul used it to propose. Now it sat with a simple matching gold band, and I only wore them on occasions like this because I didn't want to get angry and destroy them.

"Hello little Kody." Sam crooned as he stroked Takoda's chubby cheek with a large thumb and then turned away, "Come on. Let's get moving before you have to change a diaper."

"Hey, what if it's his turn?" I said with false anger.

"Then keep score and make him take over baby duties tomorrow." Sam called over his shoulder and led the guys to the cars.

"Oi, Randy!" I called, "Have a good night and don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

"Okay. Just don't tell Leah what you would do; she might freak out a little." Randy laughed as he heaved himself into Sam's four-by-four.

Kim and I headed into the house to find the bachelorette party had already started, although things were quite quiet at the moment I was sure that by the time the guys got back things would have lost control.

It was hard to think that Leah and Randall were getting married, but then again, Paul and I had so it couldn't be that much more unbelievable.

Leah scrambled over to me and took Kody out of the sling, holding him in the air and making weird noises at him as she pulled him closer to her face to rub her nose on his.

"I can't wait to have one of my own. Hopefully it'll be sooner rather than later."

I took Kody back from Leah and smiled at her.

"I'm sure it will be." I sighed as I put Kody back in the sling and sat down next to Tilly, who was Josh's eighteen year old imprint.

There was a glow around Leah. A glimmer of something that I recognised, even though I'd never seen it in myself. I was surprised that her mother couldn't see it but then again I did have heightened shifter senses. Leah will make a good mother, which is especially good because Randall is scarily immature.

Now we were just waiting on Emily to join the club.

_**Author's Note:**_

_**I'm not very good at writing endings but this was it. I refuse to use the words 'The End' because Paul and Gabby (and Takoda) live on past this point in time and I never liked the whole 'they lived happily ever after' line.**_

_**So yes, this is the end of this story and this part of their lives.**_

_**I really hope that you enjoyed this story and I want to say a massive thanks to those who not only read this far but who reviewed. I'm very grateful for you taking the time to read my work because without you I most certainly wouldn't have ever had the motivation to finish it.**_

_**Thank-you all.**_


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